Before the B. League, a brand-new men's top hoop circuit in Japan, tips off next season, the NBL launches its playoffs this weekend.
The Toyota Alvark and Link Tochigi Brex, who battled for the top spot in the standings throughout the regular season, are in the best positions to capture the title.
Toyota, the No. 1 seed with a 47-8 regular-season record, doesn't have one signature superstar. But the team has the league's best offense (82.8 points per game) and second-best defense (69.8). It also has the deepest bench in the NBL.