Asia (FIBA Asia Champions Cup) - It’s not only in the NBA where the race towards the playoffs are heating up.  Whether it’s the Korean Basketball League (KBL), Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), or the Iraqi Basketball Super League, the action is getting more intense as the postseason approaches.

Here’s a round up of what’s going on around Asian basketball leagues this past week!

Information is updated as of March 3, 2019.

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Super Basketball League (SBL) - Chinese-Taipei

There’s not much suspense left in the SBL with Bank of Taiwan (6-22) already out of the running. However, the remaining 6 teams still all have a chance at finishing in the top 2 spots for a bye to the semifinals.

 

Teams have been going up and down the standings and there are only 4 wins separating the top-seeded Taiwan Beer Bears (18-10) and sixth-placed FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2018 participants Pauian Archiland (14-14). With 8-9 games left in the regular season, none of the teams can let up if they want to secure the two spots at the top of the table.

B.League - Japan

There’s still plenty of action left in the 60-game season of the B.League. After 42 games, the playoff picture is getting clearer despite none of the teams having clinched a playoff spot so far.

Of the 8 playoff spots, 6 will be secured by the top 2 teams in each of the three divisions. The remaining two slots will be secured by the two teams with the best records outside of the the division leaders.

The Eastern region are dominating the league by far with three teams that have already won at least 30 games. The Chiba Jets and Tochigi Brex lead the division and the league with 35 and 34 wins, respectively. Defending champions and FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2018 runners-up Alvark Tokyo are not far behind with 30 victories so far. Alvark would surely like a spot at the top of their division for a sure playoff berth, but will most likely make the postseason regardless even if they finish behind Chiba and Tochigi.

The only other team with 30+ wins outside of the East is Niigata Albirex (31-11), who are currently at the top of the Central region. They are led by the league’s leading scorer, Davente Gardner (27.1 points per game), and hold a comfortable 5 game lead over Kawasaki Brave Thunders (26-16).

 

A recent losing streak slowed down the red-hot Ryukyu Golden Kings, but they are still atop of the Western region with 27 wins and 15 losses. Kyoto Hannaryz (24-18) are slightly behind, but they also have to watch out as well with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (22-20) breathing at their necks.

The battle for the two playoff slots aside from the division leaders will be just as heated, especially in the Central region. With one of the top 3 East region teams surely to secure one postseason spot, the pressure will pile on Seahorses Mikawa (23-19) and Toyama Grouses (21-21). These two Central region squads can still make a run at 2^nd place Kawasaki Brave Thunders, which means it will be an exciting stretch down the wire.

Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) - China

There is some suspense at the top of the CBA standings regarding which teams will be able to finish alongside Guangdong Souther Tigers (38-4) and Liaoning Flying Leopards (37-5) as the 4 teams to secure a bye to the Quarterfinals. However, the race to even make it to postseason play could be even more enticing.

With 12 teams to make the playoffs in total, the 4 remaining slots will be determined in the final 4 games of the season.

Those in contention are the Guangzhou Long Lions (22-20), Zhejiang Golden Bulls (22-20), Jiangsu Kendia (21-21), Jilin Northeast Tigers (21-21), and the Shanghai Sharks (20-22).

Jiangsu will have the most favorable remaining games of the 5 teams with a game Nanjing Fighting Monkeys and two against last-placed Bayi Rockets, both squads already out of playoff contention.

Shanghai currently have the worst record among teams fighting to get in, but will have the advantage of playing all of their remaining games at home.

Guangzhou have already exceeded the most amount of wins the team has had in the past 8 seasons and will need just a couple more to breakthrough into the playoffs. Of their final 4 games, they will be playing against 3 teams that are also on the playoff bubble, so their fate pretty much rests in their hands.

 

The team with the toughest task could be Jilin who faces title contenders Liaoning and Beijing Ducks before closing out the season on the road against Guangzhou. The Northeast Tigers have built a reputation as Giant Killers in the CBA, but they will need to slay a couple more teams to get to the post season.

 

Bahrain Premier League - Bahrain

Unlike other teams in this list, the Premier League of Bahrain is already close to wrapping up.

Defending champions Manama has taken advantage of their Quarterfinals bye, commanding a 1-0 lead over Al-Riffa in the semis. On the other side of the bracket, Muharraq were able to ambush Al-Ahli to take a 1-0 lead after beating Al-Ittihad 2-0 in the Quarterfinals.

 

Al-Ahli were beaten by Muharraq in the Semifinals last season as well and will now have to fight their way with two consecutive victories to avoid another disappointing end to the season.

Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) - Philippines

The Philippine Cup conference of the PBA will qualify 8 of the 12 teams to the playoffs after 11 elimination games. So far, the only two playoff spots secured are by a surprising Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters (7-1) and the steady Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (7-2).

 

The defending Philippine Cup champions, San Miguel Beermen (4-3) are in the middle of the pack at 5^th place while FIBA Asia Champions Cup 4^th placed team Meralco Bolts (2-5) are struggling to get in to the postseasons at 10^th.

Alfa Lebanese Basketball League (LBL) - Lebanon

With only 4 games left in the regular season, Champville (10-2), Al-Riyadi (9-3), Homentemen (9-2), and Beirut (8-4) have already secured the top 4 seeded berths in the playoffs.

 

The league advances 8 of the 9 clubs into the postseason, which means that Sagesse (1-10) is currently looking from the outside in to make the playoffs. Their only win of the season so far has come against Hoops Men Club (5-7) who are at 6^th place.

Iranian Super League (ISL) - Iran

Winless Raad Padafand Dezful (0-14) are certainly out of the playoffs with two games remaining in the regular season. The only issues left to be decided are the seedings among the 8 qualifed teams.

Petrochemi Bandar Imam (13-1), Chemidor Tehran (12-2), Palayesh Naft Abadan (11-2), and Shahrdari Gorgan (9-4) have all clinched top 4 seeds, though the final order is still up for changes especially in this upcoming week of action.

 

FIBA Asia Champions Cup champions Petrochimi will face Shahrdari Gorgan who are coming off an upset win over Chemidor. Meanwhile, Naft Abadan will hope to compile on Chemidor’s loss in their own weekly marquee matchup.

Korean Basketball League (KBL) - Korea

Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Fibers (37-11) and Incheon ET-Land Elephants (33-14) have both secured the previous top two spots in the KBL playoffs for a bye to the Semifinals with 6-7 games left in the regular season. The 4 remaining post season spots will now be jostled between Changwon LG Sakers (26-21), Busan KT Sonicboom (25-22), Jeonju KCC Egis (23-24), Goyang Orion (23-25), Wonju DB Promy (22-26), and Anyang KCC (21-26).

 

The defending KBL champions Seoul SK Knights finished at 3^rd place at the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2018 but already find themselves out of the running to make postseason play with a 16-31 record.

Changwon LG and Busan KT are both in the best shape to secure their playoff berths as the two teams are coming off three straight wins. On the other hand, Wonju DB are slipping quickly and their 4-game losing streak now has them at 7^th place on the wrong side of the playoff bubble.

Iraqi Basketball Super League (IBSL) - Iraq

The 11 team league will be wrapping up their regular season soon with a remaining 1-2 games left for each squad.

Al-Shorta (17-2), Naft Baghdad (16-2), and Al-Karkh (16-3) have already secured 3 of the 4 postseason spots, leaving the final seat for Naft Al-Janoob (11-7) and Al-Kahraba (10-8) to play for. Al-Janoob will have to handle their business against Al-Tadamoun (6-12) while Al-Kahraba will face Zahko (7-11).

The top 4 teams to advance will play each other again in a double round-robin format and will carry on their records from the regular season. The top 2 teams from the final 4 round will carry on their head-to-head records from the past games to play until either team reaches 5 wins for the championship.

Iraq will also be hosting the West Asia Basketball Association (WABA) Champions Cup from March 10 to March 14 in Baghdad.