Basketball: Weakened Breakers an Adelaide long-shot

The news on the medical front has been mostly bad for the Breakers, with forward AJ Majstrovich unable to train because of a knee problem.

It was initially thought Majstrovich had a bone chip but x-rays have ruled that out. He will have ultrasound scans to determine the nature and extent of the injury and is an unlikely starter for the trip to Adelaide this weekend.

Import Rich Melzer's knee is healing quickly and he was to have his first shooting session last night after getting back on a bike early this week. It is hoped he will travel with the team on Saturday.

Captain Paul Henare, bench centre Tim Behrendorff and Brant Bailey have niggling injuries but will play.

If Majstrovich is ruled out for any length of time, the Breakers will replace him in the roster, the ANBL allowing salary cap concessions. A likely replacement is Casey Frank.

The Adelaide 36ers play the Wildcats at Perth on Friday night and travel back on Saturday for Sunday's game.

Despite the travel, their roster will be too hot for the Breakers to handle, especially given the latter's weakened state. There have been six games between the sides, the Breakers winning just the first.

The Breakers' problem remains unsolved, with slow starts and one bad quarter in almost every game where the opposition piles on a big points gap. In their 11 games so far, the Breakers have held the lead at the first-quarter break just once, always playing catch-up.

Productivity stakes

Mika Vukona has been the find of the season for the Breakers and the ANBL's latest stats on "productivity" prove it. Vukona is in fourth place, and in fifth is big centre Ben Pepper, who now stands out as he charges down court more to score.

But top of the list is a man the Breakers cut, Shawn Redhage, now with the Perth Wildcats.