Falling flat in finals: NBL playoff shockers

We've seen play out in sport around the world, a team expects to win in the playoffs but shocks the world and falls flat. The NBL is no stranger to this cautionary tale.

As we arrive at another NBL playoff series we’re flooded with incredible highlights and moments from Warrick Giddey’s huge 1997 Grand Final series block, to Jack McVeigh’s version of ‘The Shot’.

Of course we remember the good times, but playoff basketball can also trigger memories that many have pushed way down deep in the depths of hoops horror.

So in our bid to bring balance to the overflowing montages of championship glory, here are some of the biggest shocks in NBL playoff history.

Brisbane Bullets 1988

Regular season finish | 3rd (18-6)

Playoffs | Eliminated in elimination final 98-113 by Wildcats (6th)

The Bullets entered the 1988 season as reigning champions and boasting a roster with the likes of future NBL legends in Leroy Loggins, Larry Sengstock, John Dorge, and Danny Morseu.