Basketball: It's make or break time ...

The Breakers face a tough double-header in Australia this weekend against the only two NBL teams they have yet to beat - the league-leading Wollongong Hawks tonight and title favourites Brisbane tomorrow.

They have taken confidence from the win over Townsville last Sunday, and some tension and a more physical edge have been on show at training after the roster rotation implemented by coach Frank Arsego in that last game.

The usual 10 players flew to Sydney yesterday but Arsego gave no indication whether all 10 would play.

His leaving import Shawn Redhage out for the whole Townsville Crocs game certainly sent a message that no one can take his place for granted.

The team were to stay at a Sydney airport hotel and train at nearby Newington College, drive to Wollongong about 4pm today for the game at 7.30pm and then return to Sydney for the night.

They fly to Brisbane at midday tomorrow.

Chief executive Peter Chapman said the tough schedule would be no excuse for lacklustre performance.

"Every team get their share of this."

The Hawks have won nine of 12 and all six games at home this season.

They beat the Breakers 109-83 last month and won by 30 points in the previous game between the two in Wollongong.

Brisbane are eight-seven, mid-table, with three wins and two losses at home.

Cairns are the third NBL team to release an American import in the past week, shedding forward Marcus Timmons.

Timmons had not prepared properly for the season, was unfit and injury-prone and would be replaced, the management said.

The Perth Wildcats dumped Rashad Tucker for attitude problems, and the Sydney Kings cited a lingering virus as their reason for letting Thalo Green go.

But this Sunday is the NBL deadline by which teams must settle their imports and roster, and replacements will have been lined up by all three teams.