Mission impossible will become a little likelier if the Breakers sweep this weekend's two-game road-trip.
The defending champions have one shot at prolonging their quest for an unprecedented fourth straight title - sneak into Sydney's fourth spot. It's been their target for some time and it was given a huge helping hand when Wollongong upset the Kings last weekend.
While that propelled the Hawks into the playoff race and, along with Cairns, made it four teams chasing one berth, only the Kings' results really concern the Kiwi club. And, after Wollongong's win, the Breakers (9-12) can almost ignore Sydney (10-10) altogether if they take care of their own business.
To wit, if the Breakers drop just one game in their remaining schedule, Sydney must go 6-2 to pip them for the playoffs. If the champs go 5-2, the Kings would need to finish 5-3. A 4-3 run from the Breakers would open the door for Sydney to finish 4-4.
The crucial factor that sees the Breakers largely controlling their own destiny is their head-to-head record against Sydney. While the two sides have one meeting remaining, at the North Shore Events Centre in the Breakers' penultimate game, the Kings would need to win by 33 points to claim the tie-breaker.
With that outcome beyond the realm of possibility, the Breakers will advance to the postseason should the two teams conclude the regular season with identical records.
Sydney have a slightly tougher schedule down the stretch, playing each of the top three, while the Kings also have only three of their remaining eight at home, compared to the Breakers' four home games from seven.
A playoff place is still a long shot - the Breakers are in fifth place for a reason - but it's much more manageable than it was a fortnight ago.
