The National Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in New Zealand. There are currently 10 teams in the 2010 competition with teams based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Palmerston North, Taradale and Wellington. The Auckland Stars were suspended from the current competition because of financial difficulties. Invercargill club the Southland Sharks joined the competition in 2010 as well as the Otago Nuggets rejoining the league after a year absence.