Galanopoulos stresses the Hawks have also lifted their game after an indifferent season that resulted in the franchise sacking coach Liam Flynn and Winitana assuming the mantle of mentoring the side for two consecutive victories, which equals the most they have managed this winter.
"They are enjoying seeing each other's success," says the American who balances that with "the Rams didn't play their best" in the Hawks' 83-74 win over Canterbury in the flood-postponed match in Napier on Monday.
It goes without saying the Giants, who beat the Hawks 75-68 at the Pettigrew-Green Arena, also will have incrementally "improved their systems".
A team that has shown their displeasure in losing here in previous winters, Nelson have not had a home-and-away cleansweep over the visitors since 2007 so nothing will whet their appetite more after booking their third consecutive final four spot.
"They are a talented side obviously and they have two pretty fast imports," says Galanopoulos of the all-American guards McKenzie Moore and Deronn Scott.
But he hastens to add the Hawks are not concerned that the Giants are coming off two losses in their last three games.
Their preoccupation is with sharpening their shooting and shoring up their defence at the top end of the chain.
Hawks shooting guard Luke Aston made a player-of-the-week statement against the Rams on Monday with 32 points as well as six rebounds and four steals to give the Rangers an easy passage into the playoffs without needing another win.
"We have a fit and full squad," says Galanopoulos after Nigerian import Suleiman Braimoh returned last game from an injury layoff.
Despite the Hawks' improvement offensively they remain the lowest scoring side at 82.8 whereas the imposing Rangers trio of Tom Garlepp (21.4), Jason Cadee (20.7) and Reuben Te Rangi (19.7) are setting the pace in that department.
The career-high achievement of former Brigham Young University of Hawaii player Aston, who boasts the second highest three-point prowess (45 per cent) in the NBL, will need the support of other teammates.
The Rangers and Hawks will play for the third time, locked 1-1 this season but the Auckland franchise will at worst finish their season with a .500 record, a stark contrast to the 2013 season when they could only manage 2-14.
Too often Hawks have taken turns to contribute to the collective but in the next two games anything short of a co-operative effort will make it hard to eke out a win.
Oh, and the need to keep their foot on the throat when leading also is a priority.
Galanopoulos suspects the Hawks aren't playing for next season's berths because 16 games were enough to ascertain individuals' worth.
