1981 PBA season

Season highlights

• Instead of the usual three-conference format, the season was shortened to two conferences to give way for the Philippines' hosting of the SEA Games in Manila.
• Rivals Toyota and Crispa played in the finals for the 10th and what turn out to be the last time during the PBA Open Conference championship series. The Super Diesels finally ended a string of three runner-up finishes from last year by winning against the Redmanizers in five games.
• Toyota import Andrew Fields became the first recipient of the PBA Best Import Award.
• William "Bogs" Adornado of U/Tex Wranglers won his 3rd Most Valuable Player Award.

  Champions

• Open Conference: Toyota Super Diesels
• Reinforced Filipino Conference: Crispa Redmanizers
• Team with best win-loss percentage: Toyota Super Diesels
• Best Team of the Year: Crispa Redmanizers

  Individual awards

• Most Valuable Player: Bogs Adornado
• Rookie of the Year: Rafael Sison
• Best Import-Open Conference: Andrew Fields
• Best Import-Reinforced Conference: Russell Murray
• Mythical Five:
• *Robert Jaworski
• *Atoy Co
• *Ramon Fernandez
• *Bogs Adornado
• *Philip Cezar

  Cumulative standings