1988 NBL season
The 1988 NBL season was the tenth season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 13 teams contested the league.

Clubs
Following the merger of the Sydney Supersonics and West Sydney Westars to form the Sydney Kings, the NBL had 13 clubs spread across all Australian states and territories with the exception of the Northern Territory.

Regular season
The 1988 regular season took place over 21 rounds between 12 February 1988 and 9 July 1988.

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 4

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!width=90| Date
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!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 5

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 6

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 7

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 8

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 9

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 11

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 12

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 13

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 14

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 15

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 16

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 17

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 18

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

Round 19

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 20

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Round 21

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!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Ladder
This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. The top 6 teams qualified for the finals series.

The NBL tie-breaker system as outlined in the NBL Rules and Regulations states that in the case of an identical win–loss record, the results in games played between the teams will determine order of seeding.

1Head-to-Head between North Melbourne Giants and Brisbane Bullets (1-1). North Melbourne Giants won For and Against (+9).

2Newcastle Falcons won Head-to-Head (2-0).

3Head-to-Head between Illawarra Hawks and Eastside Spectres (1-1). Illawarra Hawks won For and Against (+9).

4Head-to-Head between Hobart Tassie Devils and Sydney Kings (1-1). Hobart Tassie Devils won For and Against (+12).

Finals

Playoff bracket

Elimination Finals
Both matches were single game elimination contests. The team that qualified 3rd at the end of the regular season would host the team that finished 6th, with the team finishing 4th hosting the team placed 5th. The teams that finished the regular season 1st and 2nd had a bye into the semi-final stage.

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!width=180| Home
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!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
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Semi-finals
Each were played as a best of 3-game series

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Grand Final

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!width=90| Date
!width=180| Home
!width=60| Score
!width=180| Away
!width=260| Venue
!width=70| Crowd
!width=70| Box Score

1988 NBL statistics leaders

NBL awards
Most Valuable Player: Joe Hurst, Hobart Tassie Devils
Most Valuable Player Grand Final: Phil Smyth, Canberra Cannons
Rookie of the Year: Shane Heal, Brisbane Bullets
Coach of the Year: Bruce Palmer, North Melbourne Giants

All NBL Team

References

 
NBL