The Sydney Kings will face old foe Melbourne in the first round of the national basketball league playoffs, with the final ladder positions confirmed after Saturday night's matches.

The Tigers lost to Townsville 106-104 tonight, giving the Crocodiles their record-equalling 16th straight win and condemning Melbourne to sixth place.

The Crocodiles, who were 3-11 early in the season before embarking on their remarkable run, can claim the record winning streak outright when they play the Hawks in Wollongong on March 8 to commence their playoff series.

They currently share the record with the 1997 Melbourne Tigers, who went on to win the championship that season, and the now-defunct Sydney Supersonics in 1983.

The Wollongong-Townsville match-up is a replay of the 2000-01 NBL grand final series, which the Hawks won 2-1.

Perth meets defending champion Adelaide in their first round match-up, with the 36ers still to face Cairns to finish the final round of the regular season.

All playoff series are played over a three-game format, with the third game only played if required.

By finishing as minor premiers, the Kings guaranteed themselves at least a semifinal berth for only the second time in their history.

The highest-placed loser after the first round joins the three winning teams in the semifinals.

The only other time Sydney has reached that stage of the playoffs was in 1992, when it lost 2-1 to the Tigers.

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