The Sal's NBL 2021 Season Schedule (men) has arrived, packed with 93 games across 12 rounds and the Final 4.
And it will be a big birthday celebration for the League as it notches up 40 years (1982-2021).
The 2021 season will see all games broadcast on Sky Sport, with 10 teams set to battle it out for the national championship.
The season opener on Saturday April 24 will feature the 2020 Showdown Champions (Fluid Recruitment Otago Nuggets) up against the 2019 League Champions (Wellington Saints).
Sal's NBL General Manager Justin Nelson said it was exciting to return to a home-and-away format that is aimed at "rewarding the fans" after the COVID-impacted 2020 season saw all teams based in Auckland for six weeks.
"It's great to have all of our teams going home, so to speak. We can't wait to see the fans return to their local stadiums and arenas to cheer on their team. This is a fan's first national competition and we want to make sure we celebrate our 40th season with our fans," Nelson said.
Stuff's Brendon Egan provides a full rundown on the 2021 schedule - check it out HERE.
Round 1
Saturday April 24 | 7:30pm | Otago Nuggets vs Wellington Saints | Edgar Centre
Sunday April 25 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Auckland Huskies | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Monday April 26 | 2:00pm | Nelson Giants vs Southland Sharks | Trafalgar Centre
Thursday April 29 | 7:30pm | Southland Sharks vs Taranaki Mountainairs | ILT Stadium Southland
Friday April 30 | 7:30pm | Wellington Saints vs Canterbury Rams | TSB Bank Arena
Friday April 30 | 7:30pm | Auckland Huskies vs Manawatu Jets | Eventfinda Stadium
Saturday May 1 | 7:30pm | Otago Nuggets vs Taranaki Mountainairs | Edgar Centre
Saturday May 1 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Manawatu Jets | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Sunday May 2 | 3:00pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Canterbury Rams | Pettigrew Green Arena
Round 2
Thursday May 6 | 7:30pm | Taranaki Mountainiars vs Franklin Bulls | TSB Stadium
Friday May 7 | 7:30pm | Wellington Saints vs Southland Sharks | TSB Bank Arena
Friday May 7 | 7:30pm | Canterbury Rams vs Manawatu Jets | Cowles Stadium
Saturday May 8 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Nelson Giants | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Saturday May 8 | 7:30pm | Otago Nuggets vs Manawatu Jets | Edgar Centre
Saturday May 8 | 7:30pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Southland Sharks | Pettigrew Green Arena
Sunday May 9 | 5:00pm | Auckland Huskies vs Nelson Giants | Eventfinda Stadium
Round 3
Friday May 14 | 7:30pm | Canterbury Rams vs Auckland Huskies | Cowles Stadium
Friday May 14 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Southland Sharks | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Saturday May 15 | 7:30pm | Manawatu Jets vs Otago Nuggets | Fly Palmy Arena
Saturday May 15 | 7:30pm | Wellington Saints vs Nelson Giants | TSB Bank Arena
Sunday May 16 | 3:00pm | Auckland Huskies vs Southland Sharks | Trusts Arena
Sunday May 16 | 5:00pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Nelson Giants | Pettigrew Green Arena
Sunday May 16 | 5:00pm | Taranaki Mountainairs vs Otago Nuggets | TSB Stadium
Round 4
Thursday May 20 | 7:30pm | Nelson Giants vs Canterbury Rams | Trafalgar Centre
Thursday May 20 | 7:30pm | Taranaki Mountainiars vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | TSB Stadium
Thursday May 20 | 7:30pm | Wellington Saints vs Franklin Bulls | TSB Bank Arena
Friday May 21 | 7:30pm | Auckland Huskies vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | Eventfinda Stadium
Saturday May 22 | 7:30pm | Canterbury Rams vs Franklin Bulls | Cowles Stadium
Saturday May 22 | 7:30pm | Otago Nuggets vs Nelson Giants | Edgar Centre
Sunday May 23 | 3:00pm | Manawatu Jets vs Taranaki Mountainairs | The Ballroom
Sunday May 23 | 5:00pm | Southland Sharks vs Nelson Giants | ILT Stadium Southland
Round 5
Thursday May 27 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Otago Nuggets | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Friday May 28 | 7:30pm | Wellington Saints vs Auckland Huskies | TSB Bank Arena
Saturday May 29 | 7:30pm | Nelson Giants vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | Trafalgar Centre
Saturday May 29 | 7:30pm | Taranaki Mountainairs vs Southland Sharks | TSB Stadium
Saturday May 29 | 7:30pm | Auckland Huskies vs Otago Nuggets | Eventfinda Stadium
Sunday May 30 | 5:00pm | Canterbury Rams vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | Cowles Stadium
Sunday May 30 | 5:00pm | Manawatu Jets vs Southland Sharks | Fly Palmy Arena
Round 6
Thursday June 3 | 7:30pm | Nelson Giants vs Manawatu Jets | Trafalgar Centre
Friday June 4 | 7:30pm | Taranaki Mountainairs vs Auckland Huskies | TSB Stadium
Friday June 4 | 7:30pm | Southland Sharks vs Wellington Saints | ILT Stadium Southland
Friday June 4 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Saturday June 5 | 7:30pm | Otago Nuggets vs Southland Sharks | Edgar Centre
Saturday June 5 | 7:30pm | Canterbury Rams vs Wellington Saints | Cowles Stadium
Sunday June 6 | 3:00pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Auckland Huskies | Pettigrew Green Arena
Sunday June 6 | 5:00pm | Manawatu Jets vs Franklin Bulls | Fly Palmy Arena
Round 7
Monday June 7 | 2:00pm | Nelson Giants vs Taranaki Mountainiars | Trafalgar Centre
Thursday June 10 | 7:30pm | Canterbury Rams vs Otago Nuggets | Cowles Stadium
Friday June 11 | 7:30pm | Southland Sharks vs Manawatu Jets | ILT Stadium Southland
Saturday June 12 | 7:30pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Otago Nuggets | Pettigrew Green Arena
Saturday June 12 | 7:30pm | Auckland Huskies vs Franklin Bulls | Eventfinda Stadium
Sunday June 13 | 3:00pm | Taranaki Mountainairs vs Canterbury Rams | TSB Stadium
Sunday June 13 | 5:00pm | Wellington Saints vs Manawatu Jets | TSB Bank Arena
Round 8
Thursday June 17 | 7:30pm | Auckland Huskies vs Canterbury Rams | Eventfinda Stadium
Friday June 18 | 7:30pm | Nelson Giants vs Otago Nuggets | Trafalgar Centre
Friday June 18 | 7:30pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Wellington Saints | Pettigrew Green Arena
Saturday June 19 | 7:30pm | Southland Sharks vs Franklin Bulls | ILT Stadium Southland
Saturday June 19 | 7:30pm | Wellington Saints vs Taranaki Mountainiars | TSB Bank Arena
Sunday June 20 | 3:00pm | Manawatu Jets vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | Fly Palmy Arena
Sunday June 20 | 5:00pm | Otago Nuggets vs Franklin Bulls | Edgar Centre
Sunday June 20 | 5:00pm | Canterbury Rams vs Taranaki Mountainiars | Cowles Stadium
Round 9
Thursday June 24 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Canterbury Rams | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Friday June 25 | 7:30pm | Taranaki Mountainiars vs Manawatu Jets | TSB Stadium
Friday June 25 | 7:30pm | Nelson Giants vs Wellington Saints | Trafalgar Centre
Saturday June 26 | 7:30pm | Southland Sharks vs Auckland Huskies | ILT Stadium Southland
Saturday June 26 | 7:30pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Franklin Bulls | Pettigrew Green Arena
Saturday June 26 | 7:30pm | Manawatu Jets vs Canterbury Rams | Fly Palmy Arena
Sunday June 27 | 5:00pm | Wellington Saints vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | TSB Bank Arena
Sunday June 27 | 5:00pm | Otago Nuggets vs Auckland Huskies | Edgar Centre
Round 10
Friday July 2 | 7:30pm | Canterbury Rams vs Southland Sharks | Cowles Stadium
Friday July 2 | 7:30pm | Taranaki Mountainiars vs Wellington Saints | TSB Stadium
Friday July 2 | 7:30pm | Nelson Giants vs Auckland Huskies | Trafalgar Centre
Saturday July 3 | 7:30pm | Otago Nuggets vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | Edgar Centre
Saturday July 3 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Taranaki Mountainairs | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Sunday July 4 | 3:00pm | Manawatu Jets vs Auckland Huskies | Fly Palmy Arena
Sunday July 4 | 5:00pm | Southland Sharks vs Hawke’s Bay Hawks | ILT Stadium Southland
Round 11
Thursday July 8 | 7:30pm | Nelson Giants vs Franklin Bulls | Trafalgar Centre
Friday July 9 | 7:30pm | Southland Sharks vs Otago Nuggets | ILT Stadium Southland
Saturday July 10 | 7:30pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Taranaki Mountainairs | Pettigrew Green Arena
Saturday July 10 | 7:30pm | Manawatu Jets vs Wellington Saints | The Ballroom
Saturday July 10 | 7:30pm | Canterbury Rams vs Nelson Giants | Cowles Stadium
Sunday July 11 | 5:00pm | Auckland Huskies vs Taranaki Mountainairs | Eventfinda Stadium
Monday July 12 | 7:30pm | Wellington Saints vs Otago Nuggets | TSB Bank Arena
Round 12
Thursday July 15 | 7:30pm | Southland Sharks vs Canterbury Rams | ILT Stadium Southland
Thursday July 15 | 7:30pm | Hawke’s Bay Hawks vs Manawatu Jets | Pettigrew Green Arena
Friday July 16 | 7:30pm | Franklin Bulls vs Wellington Saints | Franklin Pool & Leisure Centre
Saturday July 17 | 7:30pm | Taranaki Mountainairs vs Nelson Giants | TSB Stadium
Saturday July 17 | 7:30pm | Otago Nuggets vs Canterbury Rams | Edgar Centre
Saturday July 17 | 7:30pm | Auckland Huskies vs Wellington Saints | Eventfinda Stadium
Sunday July 18 | 5:00pm | Manawatu Jets vs Nelson Giants | Fly Palmy Arena
FINALS (Venue TBC)
Thursday July 22 6:00pm SF (1st vs 4th)
Thursday July 22 8:00pm SF (2nd vs 3rd)
Friday July 23 8:00pm GF
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