Imagine that?
It would be some comeback.
The Nuggets spent six years on the National Basketball League sidelines and just under three months ago were still firmly focused on making their NBL return in 2021.
But Covid-19 forced a serious rethink of how the tournament was structured.
That paved the way for a early return and, with a little help from the inaugural draft, the Nuggets have put together a strong side and have qualified top.
Forget the final round-robin game against the Nelson Giants tonight — it does not matter a jot.
The Nuggets have already secured a spot in the semifinals. They can, however, secure a lower-ranked opponent for that semifinal clash if they win the qualifying final against the Manawatu Jets on Tuesday night.
But if they lose they will play the higher-ranked opponent. Either way the Nuggets are into the semifinals and just two wins away from claiming the title.
It is quite a prospect.
The playoffs start Tuesday and all the teams will have an opportunity to make Saturday’s final in Auckland.
The bottom two teams begin proceedings with a straight knockout game.
That will be followed by the qualifying final between the Nuggets and Jets.
From Wednesday, the competition becomes a straight knockout format.
The fourth and fifth-placed teams will play each other in one elimination final, while the third-placed finisher will play the winner of Tuesday’s bottom-two playoff.
The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday.
The Nuggets’ last appearance in the NBL semifinals was in 2013.
