Coming off a couple of encouraging wins and one demoralising defeat, then, the true quality of this Breakers team could become clearer tomorrow night at the North Shore Events Centre.
After beating both of last year's finalists to begin the campaign, the Breakers regressed in a big way against Melbourne on Sunday. A 4-0 Cairns Taipans outfit pose another serious test tomorrow and it's one that could be instructive to what awaits in the remainder of the season.
Looking at the recent past to help predict the future, it's apparent the three-time champion version of the Breakers never let a loss damage them. Throughout three years of supremacy in the Australian NBL, the New Zealand side sustained only four two-game losing streaks.
Last season's team, however, frequently became unstuck when a result went wrong, enduring five runs featuring two or more consecutive defeats.
Slides of that ilk can cripple a campaign, ruining a team's psyche and increasing their fallibility in the eyes of the opposition. And although another loss and a 2-2 record would hardly be a calamity, bouncing back from disappointment would be reminiscent of the Breakers' best years.
"As a coach, that was something I learned throughout last year," said Dean Vickerman. "I'm allowed to have my grumpy time but I've got to make sure that I wake up the next day and I've already got a plan about how we move on.
"I've certainly tried that approach again this year and that's the challenge you've got to enjoy as a coach - how do you get better?"
The Breakers certainly seem to have taken a giant leap forward in the offseason, though the 21-point thumping by Melbourne was a small step back. The team's intensity on defence has been identified as their downfall and Vickerman promised the same mistake would be avoided.
But the loss arrived with a ready-made silver lining - provided the clouds cleared tomorrow and the bright start to the season continued.
"It was a good kick in the arse to make sure you keep working hard," Vickerman said. "They were two good wins to start the season and we were pleased. If you said to us we would be 2-1 after the first three games I think we would've taken that.
"So now it's making sure we make the change from that game to this one."
Vickerman is considering starting Alex Pledger in place of a foul-prone Ekene Ibekwe for the first time this season, while Corey Webster will play his 100th game for his hometown club on a court he graced as a kid.
- By Kris Shannon of APNZ
