The Sydney Kings and Perth Wildcats have booked their ticket to the play-offs and remain locked in a duel for top spot.
The Cairns Taipans, in third, have all but clinched their spot needing just one more win to qualify.
Fourth place is still wide open with the Brisbane Bullets, New Zealand Breakers and Melbourne United still in the running.
Adelaide 36ers are also mathematically not ruled out of finals contention but are not a realistic chance of making it - with too many results required to go their way for them to make it.
Friday night’s clash between the Bullets and Breakers could prove telling in how the final four looks at the end of the regular season.
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If Brisbane win then New Zealand and Adelaide cannot make the finals. However, the Bullets will still need one more win from their two games to secure a finals spot.
New Zealand need to win against Brisbane to remain in the finals picture. They can qualify for the finals with as little as two wins from their remaining three games, but will require Brisbane and Melbourne to both suffer defeat in the last round.
If New Zealand win, Brisbane will remain in fourth position but it will mean the Breakers are very much back in finals discussion.
Melbourne United’s slim final hopes have them sitting precariously going into the final games.
The Dan Vickerman-coached side will need to win all three of their remaining games, starting with the clash against Illawarra on Saturday, and hope either New Zealand or Brisbane slip up if they are to sneak into the top four.
Finally, Cairns can tie up third spot and finals basketball with a win on the road against the 36ers.
However, it could be a very different story if they lose to Adelaide, with Brisbane able to leapfrog them if they win their two games this round.
NBL Round 19 LIVE on SBS
Friday 7 February
Brisbane Bullets v New Zealand Breakers
7:30pm AEDT - 9:30pm AEDT
LIVE via SBS On Demand
Saturday 8 February
Melbourne United v Illawarra Hawks
5:30pm AEDT - 7:30pm AEDT
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and via SBS On Demand
Saturday 8 February
Adelaide 36ers v Cairns Taipans
8:00pm AEDT - 10:00pm AEDT
LIVE via SBS On Demand
Sunday 9 February
South East Melbourne Phoenix v Sydney Kings
3:00pm AEDT - 5:00pm AEDT
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and via SBS On Demand
Sunday 9 February
Perth Wildcats v Brisbane Bullets
5:00pm AEDT - 7:00pm AEDT
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and via SBS On Demand
NBL Round 20 LIVE on SBS
Thursday 13 February
NBL Round 20 - Melbourne United v Cairns Taipans
7:30pm AEDT - 9:30pm AEDT
LIVE via SBS On Demand
Friday 14 February
New Zealand Breakers v South East Melbourne Phoenix
5:30pm AEDT - 7:30pm AEDT
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and via SBS On Demand
Friday 14 February
Sydney Kings v Illawarra Hawks
8:00pm AEDT - 10:00pm AEDT
LIVE via SBS On Demand
Saturday 15 February
Brisbane Bullets v Cairns Taipans
5:30pm AEDT - 7:30pm AEDT
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and via SBS On Demand
Saturday 15 February
Perth Wildcats v Adelaide 36ers
8:00pm AEDT - 10:00pm AEDT
LIVE via SBS On Demand
Sunday 16 February
South East Melbourne Phoenix v Melbourne United
3:00pm AEDT - 5:00pm AEDT
LIVE on SBS VICELAND and via SBS On Demand
