So often, the focus is on the shooters or the defensive end. The Steel has struggled to generate consistent pressure in the defensive circle all season and at the other end, star player Jhaniele Fowler-Reid is having the second-year blues in her third year.
Her accuracy has dropped from close to 94% to the still-very-acceptable 86.9%.
There have also been questions about the mental toughness of the side, with two or three wins slipping away at the death.
Some of that can be put down to inexperience, but coach Janine Southby is reluctant to use that excuse.
She feels her side needs to trust in the game plan and believe in itself a little more. She also wants the midcourt to generate more defensive pressure.
''It is still about building that belief. They know that they can compete and it is that belief that they can close out games,'' Southby said.
''Every game, we've been guilty of soft turnovers at times when we should have really stuck to the basics.
''We are also guilty of not getting enough pressure on right throughout court.
''We've got some very talented circle defenders and at times they are really chasing their tails because the lack of pressure that is being applied up court.''
It is a big week for the Steel, with two games in Dunedin. It plays the Adelaide Thunderbirds tonight and the Central Pulse on Saturday.
While the game against the Thunderbirds is important, the match against the Pulse is absolutely crucial. Who beats whom in that fixture could have a big impact on both sides' playoff prospects.
Southby said she had been keeping a close eye on the competition table and was aware of the significance of the Pulse game. That said, the focus was very much on the Thunderbirds tonight.
The Adelaide-based side leads the head-to-head score 5-3 but the Steel had a breakthrough win in Australia last season when it beat the Thunderbirds 61-59.
The 2013 champions sit in last place in the Australian conference with three wins, a draw and four losses. The Steel has two wins from seven games and was in third place in the New Zealand conference at the start of the round.
Both sides will have a touch of desperation about their performance.
The Steel's 63-54 loss to the Vixens in Melbourne would have been a lot closer had it not been for a terrible second quarter, which saw it outscored 21-13.
The Thunderbirds started well in their 63-51 win over the Tactix in Christchurch but did let the home side get back into the match during the second half.
''At the start [against the Tactix], they were pretty fast and furious and I was looking at it and wondering, `How do we stop that?' But I thought the Tactix did a really good job in the second, third and fourth quarters,'' Southby said.
''The Thunderbirds would be happy with the win but I doubt they would be happy with most of that game, given they had such a strong first quarter.
''But I know they have some real quality players in that line-up with [Erin] Bell, [Carla] Borrego, and Emily Beaton is back and she is a very accurate feeder.
''[Renae] Hallinan is a real strength at wing defence, so we know it is going to be a tough game.''
