Explainer: What is the NBL play-in, and can Illawarra get there?

Of course, every team begins each season with hopes of reaching the playoffs. It's a term sports fans are more than familiar with. The play-in is essentially a means of a team playing its way in to the actual playoffs.

You could say 'isn't it all just the playoffs?' and you'd be right. Boiled right down, in the NBL sense the play-in essentially amounts to an expansion of the playoffs from four teams to six.

It poses a number of questions, the most fundamental being: how does the play-in work?

Until last season, the NBL playoffs were initially played between four teams over best-of-three semi-final series' and a best-of-five grand final series.

The team ranked first at the end of the regular season would play the fourth ranked team, while teams two and three would play each other over a possible three games.

The subsequent winners of each series then play each other over a possible five games, as a result of a shift in 2017 that saw the grand final series expanded from three games to five.

As of last season, the top two teams in the regular-season standings progress straight to the semi-final series'. Teams three and four meet in a single-game 'seeding qualifier', with the winner advancing to a three-game semi-final series against the team ranked number two.

Teams five and six meet in a sudden-death elimination game, with the loser eliminated and the winner advancing to another elimination game against the loser of the seeding qualifier. The subsequent winner of that clash advances to a three-game series against the top-ranked team.

Why has the NBL moved to a play-in system?

The expansion of the NBL to 10 teams made for a ruthless playoff cut, with four teams progressing and six teams missing out.

With the NBL making no secret of its plans for further expansion, the finals cut was only going to get harsher while it remained a four-team series.

The play-in also helps keep fans engaged over the course of the entire season, with all teams presently a chance of seeing post-season action right up until the final game of the season. With the NBL also maintaining a live ladder on its website, it makes for high drama during games.

The Hawks sat as low as seventh on the ladder while trailing New Zealand for all but four and a half minutes on Sunday, but finished in fifth spot on sneaking home.

Likewise, the Hawks slipped from fourth on the ladder to seventh in the space of seconds against Tasmania before climbing back to fourth with a double-overtime win.

With a close race often decided on percentage - Melbourne United missed out on the play-in by a single basket last season - it also ensure teams don't simply fold in the face of blow-out margins.

It's also why you don't often see players copy the NBA convention of dribbling out the clock late in games if the game has already been decided.

American imports have, at times, taken exception to players playing right up to the final buzzer, but with every point counting, that type of 'sportsmanship' is foolish in the NBL.

Is the NBL play-in the same as the NBA play-in?

The NBL likes to mimic the NBA as much as it can, including vernacular and terminology.

It's why the expanded finals series has been dubbed the NBL play-in but, like all things comparing the leagues, the NBA plays it out on a much larger scale.

The NBA sees teams 7-10 in both its Eastern and Western conferences play a mini-tournament to determine the seventh and eighth seeds in the respective conference playoffs.

The NBL's system borrows from the format, but only really amounts to two extra games, rather than the genuine condensed tournament that is the NBA play-in. It's followed by a mammoth post-season that sees a four-round best-of-seven playoff series between a total of 16 teams.

Is the NBL play-in fair?

It's a matter of opinion, and those opinions are not totally informed given the NBL's only had one season with a play-in.

The concern that arises is whether it does not provide enough advantage for teams that finish at the top of the ladder, but teams one and two last season - eventual champions Sydney, and New Zealand - both progressed to the grand final series.

In reality, teams five and six only earn an elimination opportunity without the safety net of series' that the top teams enjoy.

The other question is whether opening up a finals back door would be rewarding mediocrity, but that certainly wasn't the case last season. All teams that featured in the post-season had winning records, as did seventh-placed United (15-13).

It came in a season that saw pronounced struggles for lower-ranked teams, the Hawks most notably going 3-25, while Brisbane also went 8-20. It meant the upper-ranked teams piled on a lot more wins at the expense of the lower teams.

It's not reflected on the ladder this season, with teams one and two, United (17-7) and Perth (16-8), the only teams currently boasting a positive win-loss ledger. Third-placed Tasmania are 12-12, but all other teams are below .500.

While getting above .500 (more wins than losses) would be the general aim, it's feasible that a team could reach the play-in with a negative win-loss ledger.

Will the Hawks get there?

Tangibly yes, but the final answer will largely swing on intangibles, particularly a brutal run home.

Many were willing to put a line through them when they dropped both games of a home double to Cairns and Adelaide last weekend. However, they've bounced back with a traditionally difficult-to-secure road win over Perth and Sunday's win over New Zealand.

The Hawks are at home for just two of their final five games. While the tough run home would typically be prohibitive, the Hawks have actually been a far better road team under Justin Tatum than they have been at home.

Following Saturday's must-win home clash with Brisbane, the Hawks face crunch road games with New Zealand and Sydney in the penultimate round. They have already beaten the Breakers and Kings away this season, so the trip will be less daunting that it otherwise might.

The final round appears as tough as it gets, with the Hawks facing the top two teams in Perth and Melbourne United back-to-back, the latter in Melbourne.

Once again, the Hawks will like their chances against Perth having beaten the Wildcats convincingly twice this season, while putting arguably the tightest clamp on MVP favourite Bryce Cotton of any team in the league.

If previous seasons are also any guide, top teams who've already secured a finals berth have rested their star players in the final round. The play-in will provide a measure of rest for both top two teams, so it appears unlikely this year, but it does happen.

For his part, Hawks coach Tatum said his side is steeled for the tough home stretch.

"None of these games are going to be pretty, especially in this grind," Tatum said.

"I'm sure everybody right now is feeling the same type of fatigue, we're all in the same boat. I don't use that as an excuse or a reason.

"Everybody has similar records and are trying to get to the play-in spot, but when we find a way and a will to win, we'll take it however we can. As long as we are willing to fight for 40 minutes, I think we give ourselves a chance every time."