KEY POINTS:
The Auckland Stars begin what looms as a season-defining three-game stretch against the defending-champion Bay Hawks in Napier tonight.
With Monday night's Battle of the Bridge against the table-topping Harbour Heat splitting home and away encounters with the Hawkes - who share an identical 10-4 record and second place on the table with the Stars - Auckland coach Kenny Stone knows his side's fate is in the balance.
"We could come out the end of it and not be in the playoffs," Stone said.
Such a scenario is unlikely but not impossible, with seven teams still in contention for the four-team playoffs.
Two wins out of the three matches could well be enough for the Stars - who play the lowly Otago Nuggets in their final regular season match - to seal at least second place and with it home advantage for a sudden death semifinal.
The Hawks head into the rematch of last year's NBL final riding a five-match winning streak that has resurrected their season after a slow start.
The run of wins has been far from convincing, two of the victories coming in overtime and the last four requiring fourth-quarter comebacks, but Stone is happy to simply look at the Hawks' form line.
"It doesn't really matter how you win. If it did we'd probably be near the bottom of the table. We haven't had pretty wins either."
Stone admits his patched up team are still trying to rediscover their groove after the walkout of impressive young imports Tashaan Forehan-Kelly and Danny Lambert.
The Stars have failed to get anywhere near the same production out of replacements Corey Hallett and Brandon Cole, instead relying on runaway rookie of the year candidate Charlie Piho and fellow fringe player Valence Te Ratana.
Te Ratana's six three-pointers provided the impetus for the Stars' most recent come-from-behind victory over Taranaki, while Piho also chipped in with 19 points.
"We are going to need them to continue to do that. We can't just rely on [Lindsay] Tait, [Dillon] Boucher and [Casey] Frank.
"We've never been about just one guy. Lindsay has had a great season but we've needed other people to step up.
"Last week it was Valence and Charlie, who knows who it's going to be [tonight]."
