The 2016/17 NBL season will long be remembered as one of the closest professional competitions of all time. Almost every team at one point faced time on the bottom of the ladder and heading into the final round, six out of the eight sides were still fighting for a finals berth.
In what was almost poetic, the final spot in the top four wasn't decided until there was less than 20 seconds to play in the season. You couldn't have scripted a better finish if you tried.
Hopefully, the finals will follow suit.
Before we get there though, who and what stood out the most in Round 19?
Leaving it late
Everyone knows the feeling of putting something on a to-do list but then letting it slip out of mind, before at the last minute realising how important it is and scrambling to get it done. That sums up Perth's final round of the season. They didn't book their ticket to the finals until the clock was in single digits against Melbourne United.
After comfortably eliminating the Sydney Kings earlier in the round, travelling to Melbourne for a do-or-die matchup was a true test but with a lead of 11 and only three minutes to play, it looked over.
That was when Melbourne rallied and a lid seemed to appear over the Wildcats basket. But as true champion teams do, the Wildcats found a way to get over the line and now go into the finals for the 31st consecutive time.
History maker
While Brisbane's season will be listed as disappointing, there is one piece of good news to come out of it. Daniel Kickert has become the first player in NBL history to record a 50/40/90 season. That means he had shooting averages of 50 percent field goals, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the free throw line.
Not only did he make history, he did it comfortably with averages of 54.4/45.9/95.1. It is a rare and exclusive club to gain access to, and he joins the likes of NBA greats Steve Nash, Larry Bird and Stephen Curry. The one thing Kickert can boast about is that no player in NBA history has recorded averages as remarkable as he has.
Timing the run
Every team wants to time their run to the finals perfectly - you want to be going in full of confidence and knowing the team has come together at just the right time. The Taipans head into the finals as the hottest team of the four having won five of their past six games - the only loss was at the hands of Illawarra.
In doing so, the bumped their scoring average from 80.4 to 89.3 over that stretch to not only secure post-season action but a home semifinal series to take on the Perth Wildcats. While defence is their usual forte, the Taipans have shown their offensive side of the game can be just as potent.
Here comes the sun
A normal feeling when you're heading off on a holiday is excitement and perhaps a bit of relief to be getting away, but no player from the Brisbane Bullets, Sydney Kings, New Zealand Breakers or Melbourne United will be feeling that way.
All are now forced to watch the finals from their couch, and no doubt they will be ruing their missed chances throughout the regular season. Newcomers Brisbane were decimated by injuries, the Kings unravelled after a hot start while New Zealand and Melbourne struggled to find any consistency.
The off-season now awaits and with it comes all the horrible thoughts about what could have been.
What a finish
This season was remarkable. Every team faced more ups and downs than a rollercoaster and had to deal with a major injury at one point. The level of play in the league skyrocketed and fans flocked to see their teams in record numbers.
The league is back in a big way and the main action is still to come. With big-name players potentially playing their final games, we await to see who the clubs will welcome for the following season.
But for now though, we get to sit back and watch the best sides of the year battle it out for the ultimate glory.