''If you don't have a chance to win the title, the season has not been successful. That's what it's all about.
''The reasons for that are irrelevant. You're judged by whether you can make the playoffs.''
The Nuggets fell out of playoff contention a week ago and finished their season with back-to-back losses in the North Island.
There were again some positive signs in Saturday night's 98-87 loss to the Hawkes Bay Hawks in Napier, but the loss left the Nuggets with a 7-11 record, and seventh place in a 10-team league.
That is some fall after the magnificent 2013 season, in which the Nuggets went 12-4, finishing second after the regular season and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
A mitigating factor was obviously the injury toll. The Nuggets lost exciting rookie Marques Whippy (Achilles) in the first round, and former Tall Black Brendon Polyblank (broken nose) two weeks ago.
Dickel sat out the final weekend due to groin and hip issues, and import Warren Carter missed the final game due to illness.
''Warren had been sick all week,'' Dickel said.
''He was really run-down, with no energy. We weren't going to be able to get anything out of him.''
Dickel was encouraged by the efforts of the younger players on Saturday night in the absence of almost a full starting five.
Sam King stepped up with a double-double (21 points, 11 rebounds), and Micah Lepaio continued his late-season surge with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. The pair complemented import Brandon Bowdry, who had 23 points and 11 boards.
''All our young guys stepped up at different moments and played really well,'' Dickel said.
''They all have ability. It's just a matter of how we can bring that out of them consistently.''
It was always going to be difficult for the Nuggets to clip the Hawks, even with a full roster.
The home side sealed its No 1 seeding for the playoffs and the best regular-season record (15-3) in the history of the Hawkes Bay franchise.
Six Hawks scored in double figures, Jarrod Kenny had 12 assists and Dustin Scott led all rebounders with 15 as Hawkes Bay led from start to finish.
In Christchurch, the Canterbury Rams ended their season on a high note with a 90-87 win over the Southland Sharks.
The Sharks tied the game at 85-85 from a Dan Peck three with under a minute to go.
But Canterbury's Ethan Rusbatch was again clutch down the stretch, scoring on the next possession, and the Rams made their free throws to seal their sixth win in their comeback season.
Marcel Jones led Canterbury with a game-high 22 points, Richie Edwards had 20, and Rusbatch collected a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Former Waitaki Boys' High School star Peck scored 18 in his first start for Southland.
In the Final Four in Wellington, the Hawks will play the Sharks, and the Wellington Saints will play the Nelson Giants.
NBL
The scores
Hawkes Bay Hawks 98
Kareem Johnson 19, Paora Winitana 17
Otago Nuggets 87
Brandon Bowdry 23, Sam King 21, Micah Lepaio 17
Quarter scores: 1st, 28-19; 2nd, 52-37; 3rd, 77-57.
