The regular season served up a fantastic smorgasbord of goodies but the main course is finally upon us. The finals are where players elevate themselves into the stratosphere and championships are won.
Which team and player will step up this time?
Four out of five all-NBL first team players will participate in the finals, the only exception being Melbourne United's Casper Ware. Thanks to Adelaide cleaning up at the end-of-season awards, almost every award winner will appear in the finals.
The two semifinal matchups are polar opposites - Adelaide and Illawarra are ranked first and second for points scored per game while Perth and Cairns ranked first and second for points against per match.
With all eyes looking ahead to the first game, here is everything you need to know before the first tip.
Adelaide 36ers vs. Illawarra Hawks
How they made it
Adelaide endured a horrid start to their season. With a younger team, the 36ers weren't expected to be heavy hitters this season and when they were handed a 34-point loss at the hands of Illawarra, things weren't looking great. At the end of Round 7, they found themselves glued to the bottom of the ladder and then somehow, everything changed. They won 14 of their next 15 games to hold on to first spot from Round 11 onwards.
Illawarra, after their promising start, fell into a hole to sit in the lower trenches of the NBL ladder up until Round 5, and it wasn't until Round 8 that they got back into the top four. Since that time they have solidified their spot atop the standings and their offensive firepower is a sight to behold when it's up and running.
Season series (home side first)
Game 1: Illawarra defeat Adelaide 122-88
Game 2: Adelaide lose to Illawarra 85-74
Game 3: Adelaide defeat Illawarra 117-85
Game 4: Illawarra defeat Adelaide 95-92
Marquee men
Adelaide
Jerome Randle
The regular season MVP is unstoppable when he heats up. His handle can put defenders in a daze and his shot making ability and creativity around the rim is a sight to behold. Rhys Martin and Mitch Norton will have their hands full trying to slow down the NBLs Ant-Man.
Illawarra
Rotnei Clarke
The NBL MVP from 2014, Clarke this season signed a two-year deal to return to the Hawks and after a bumpy start was relegated to the second unit. It was a move that he thrived in and he ultimately won the NBLs sixth man of the year award. How will the 36ers stop the second unit scoring machine?
Keys for victory
Both of these teams can score heavily, that we all know. The real winner of this series will be the team that can get their defence into gear. Ranked as the bottom two sides for giving up points, the Hawks and 36ers' defences have more holes than swiss cheese.
Whichever side can work in unison and put the clamps on their opposition will be the clear winner in this series. Randle was eased through the final round and if his body isn't 100 percent then the regular season champions could be bounced from the finals in the first round in consecutive seasons.
Prediction
The scoreboard attendants will get a great workout during this series, as both teams averaged well over 90 points per game during their four meetings this season. The Hawks will be confident after winning once in Adelaide this season and with the 36ers coming in on the back of four straight losses, they'll be confident of their chances.
But with four players all averaging double figure scoring, the edge has to be given to Adelaide who will take it 2-1.
Semifinal game times
Game 1 in Adelaide - Thursday @ 7.30pm (AEDT)
Game 2 in Illawarra - Sunday 19/02 @ 3.00pm (AEDT)
Game 3 in Adelaide - Thursday 23/02 @ 7.30pm (AEDT)*
Cairns Taipans vs. Perth Wildcats
How they made it
Talk about a rough start to the season. The Taipans didn't secure their first win until Round 4 and then sat in the lower doldrums of the standings up until Round 16. But they then closed the season on the back of a 5-1 record to secure themselves second spot on the ladder and a home semifinal berth.
Out of the four teams in the finals, Perth had the hottest start to the season and spent the opening eight rounds inside the top four. Unfortunately what followed was an up and down nine weeks which saw the Wildcats go from fourth to eighth to second. With their season on the line, they stood tall and won when they were required to.
Season series (home side first)
Game 1: Perth defeat Cairns 84-74
Game 2: Cairns defeat Perth 80-78
Game 3: Perth defeat Cairns 84-78
Game 4: Cairns defeat Perth 85-77
Marquee men
Cairns
Travis Trice
Leads the Taipans in scoring whilst being second in assists and steals. Trice is the engine of the Taipans' offense with his ability to get to any spot on the floor that he wants to. His matchup with Bryce Cotton will be must-watch viewing and Trice will need to be on his game at both ends of the floor if the Taipans are to go a step further.
Perth
Casey Prather
Runner up to Jerome Randle in MVP voting and named in the All-NBL First team, Prather is coming into the finals as the most in-form player in the competition. Having scored 55 points in his final two games, Prather will need to be at his offensive best if the Wildcats hope to go back-to-back.
Keys for victory
Both teams pride themselves on their defensive abilities but in the final round we saw an offensive onslaught from the Wildcats. If they can maintain that firepower while tightening up the defensive side of things, they'll be incredibly hard to get past.
Cairns are in form and their belief is sky high; their bench production is up there with the best in the league and if they can continue to apply pressure on the Wildcats all game long, then they'll be able to wear them down and finish them off.
Prediction
Perth know what it takes to win big games and have shown they won't panic when the going gets tough but travelling into the Snake Ppit isn't an easy challenge. The Taipans are playing some incredible basketball but will need to be on top of their game in trying to stop Casey Prather and Bryce Cotton.
Perth's experience is a huge factor but the Taipans at home should get the job done. 2-1.
Semifinal game times
Game 1 in Cairns - Friday @ 7.30pm (AEDT)
Game 2 in Perth - Monday 20/02 @ 9.30pm (AEDT)
Game 3 in Cairns - Friday 24/02 @ 7.30pm (AEDT)*