1989 NBL season

The 1989 NBL season was the 11th season of competition since its establishment in 1979. A total of 13 teams contest the league.

Clubs

NOTES

Steve Breheny was suspended by the league following the semi-finals series between Canberra and Sydney for allegedly headbutting Kings player Damian Keogh. Assistant Coach Andy Campbell was in charge of the team for the Grand Final Series.

Regular season

The 1989 regular season took place over 22 rounds between 20 April 1989 and 16 September 1989.

Round 1

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

Round 2

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

Round 3

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

Round 4

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

Round 5

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

Round 6

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

Round 7

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

Round 8

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

Round 9

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

Round 10

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

Round 11

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

Round 13

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

Round 14

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

Round 15

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

Round 16

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

Round 17

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

Round 18

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

Round 19

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

Round 20

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

Round 21

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

Round 22

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

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.
¹Perth Wildcats won Head-to-Head.
²Head-to-Head between Sydney Kings and Adelaide 36ers. Sydney Kings won For and Against.
''³Head-to-Head between Westside Saints and Hobart Tassie Devils. Westside Saints won For and Against.''

Finals

Playoff bracket

There were two best of three Elimination finals, four best of three Semifinals, and then best of three grand final series.

Elimination Finals

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

Semifinals

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

Grand Final

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

NBL awards

Most Valuable Player: Scott Fisher, North Melbourne Giants
Most Valuable Player Grand Final: Scott Fisher, North Melbourne Giants
Best Defensive Player: Phil Smyth, Canberra Cannons
Most Improved Player: Mark Bradtke, Adelaide 36ers
Rookie of the Year: Justin Withers, Illawarra Hawks
Coach of the Year: Lindsay Gaze, Melbourne Tigers