Basketball: Breakers looking to regain top form

New Zealand Breakers guard Kevin Braswell. Photo / Getty Images

Having had their 11-game win-streak snapped in spectacular style in Perth on Sunday, the Breakers are out to get back on the horse in tonight's top-of-the-table clash against Wollongong on the North Shore.

Both teams have posted impressive 5-1 marks this season, although the Hawks have the better recent form.

While the Breakers copped a 40-point flogging in their last outing, the Hawks have been impressive in dispatching Melbourne (twice) and Adelaide on a three-game run.

The Breakers' overall success this season has been a pleasant surprise - but the Hawks have once again shocked the league.

The unfancied club entered the season second-last in the betting, but have confounded predictions they would be also-rans.

Having had two tough encounters with the Hawks pre-season (for a 1-1 split) Breakers point guard Paul Henare never bought into suggestions last season's beaten finalists would struggle.

"People were saying the exact same things last year and they were the grand finalists," Henare said.

"And they have a core group of those grand finalists back this year so I am not sure where those predictions came from. They are a tough team and their record speaks for itself."

The addition of import guard Gary Ervin, who tops the league in scoring and assists, and the reinvention of former Breaker Oscar Forman have been major pluses for the Hawks.

Ervin is extremely dangerous on the dribble and Forman has made a successful conversion from swingman to the four spot.

The Breakers will be well aware of Forman's defensive flaws. But Henare said they wouldn't go out of their way to target him.

"Oscar is a good friend and it is really good to see him playing well.

"He is putting up career best numbers so far this season. I'm happy for him but it doesn't mean we are not going to go out and try to kick his arse [tonight]."

The Breakers have had their struggles with the Hawks, losing two out of three meetings last season. They did, however, dominate the last league meeting between the sides, posting an 86-60 victory at the North Shore Events Centre.

Not getting sucked into matching the Hawks' "junk" style was the key to beating them, Henare said.

"They junk it up a lot. What we've found in the past is that you can confuse yourself in terms of trying to attack it. If we keep it nice and simple and stick to simple plays you get open shots."

Henare was confident there would be no hangover from Sunday's humbling at the hands of arch-rivals Perth.

With Kirk Penney sitting out a road trip that also featured a narrow victory in Adelaide, the Breakers were always going to find it difficult in Perth.

Henare admitted fatigue was a factor against the Wildcats, but refused to use it as an excuse.

"We got our arse kicked. We'll store that in the memory for when we play them again. They played great and we played shit and at the end of the day it was a 40-point loss.

"It's not something that you set out to do ever. But we've gone over the game and we've totally moved on."