The 1996 NBL season was the 18th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 14 teams contest the league.

Regular season The 1996 regular season took place over 24 rounds between 12 April 1996 and 28 September 1996.

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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Round 5

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Round 6

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Round 7

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Round 8

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Round 9

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Round 10

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Round 11

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Round 12

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Round 13

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Round 14

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Round 15

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Round 16

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Round 17

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Round 18

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Round 19

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Round 20

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Round 21

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Round 22

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Round 23

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Round 24

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Ladder

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.

14-way Head-to-Head between Perth Wildcats (4-2), Canberra Cannons (4-2), Sydney Kings (2-4) and Adelaide 36ers (2-4).

2Head-to-Head between Perth Wildcats and Canberra Cannons (1-1). Perth Wildcats won For and Against (+10).

3Head-to-Head between Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers (1-1). Sydney Kings won For and Against (+15).

4Head-to-Head between Illawarra Hawks and Townsville Suns (1-1). Illawarra Hawks won For and Against (+29).

5Head-to-Head between Geelong Supercats and Gold Coast Rollers (1-1). Geelong Supercats won For and Against (+22).

Finals

Playoff bracket

Quarter-finals

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Semi-finals

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Grand Final The 1996 NBL Grand Final between the Magic and the Tigers drew an NBL Grand Final aggregate attendance record of 43,605 (average 14,535). Game 2 of the series at the National Tennis Centre at Flinders Park drew a single game Grand Final attendance record of 15,064. Both records still stand as of the 2016–17 NBL season

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1996 NBL statistics leaders + Category Player Team Stat Points per game Andrew Gaze Melbourne Tigers 31.1 Rebounds per game Clarence Tyson Townsville Suns 14.1 Assists per game Darryl McDonald North Melbourne Giants 10.0 Steals per game Ira Bowman Gold Coast Rollers 4.0 Blocks per game David Van Dyke Newcastle Falcons 4.3 Free throw percentage Andrew Gaze Melbourne Tigers 90.5%

NBL awards This is a list of awards given for the season: Most Valuable Player: Andrew Gaze Most Valuable Player Grand Final: Mike Kelly Best Defensive Player: Isaac Burton Most Improved Player: Chris Anstey Rookie of the Year: Scott McGregor Coach of the Year: Brett Flanigan

All NBL Team #PlayerTeam PG Darryl McDonald North Melbourne Giants SG Robert Rose Canberra Cannons SF Andrew Gaze Melbourne Tigers PF Ray Owes Geelong Supercats C Mark Bradtke Melbourne Tigers

References