KEY POINTS:
Having seen his share of false dawns at the Breakers, foundation player Paul Henare knows it's far too early to be popping champagne corks.
But the team's three-match winning run is certainly encouraging.
The sixth-placed Breakers head into the weekend double-header at Melbourne knowing a split of the series against the Tigers and Dragons would see them return home with a 4-3 record.
With a home encounter against Brisbane to be followed by the already vanquished 36ers and Slingers, there's every chance the team could head past the quarter-season mark still boasting a winning record - and still in playoff contention.
"You never like to be too overconfident but we are confident in our own abilities and confident in our teammates," said Henare, who is in line to make his season bow after sitting out the first month following knee surgery.
"This year we have a really good understanding of where we need to be and where we are heading. We have a common goal of improving and playing well as a team.
"I'm not saying that in previous years we had no direction but this year it just seems a little bit more assertive and positive in where we are heading."
Henare has been a frustrated spectator so far this season but his return to fitness will be a boost for a team who have struggled at times when starting point guard Wayne Turner has been rested. He won't play this weekend unless he can prove to coach Andrej Lemanis he is 100 per cent fit.
But it was a case of so far so good after turning out for his first training session on Wednesday following surgery to repair cartilage problems in his left knee and remove a bone spur on his right, Henare said.
"It was just bloody good to get out there on the court. I managed to get through the whole training session and pulled up all right [yesterday] so I'm pretty stoked.
"Every little part of me wants to be out on the court this weekend but I have been pretty disciplined in my rehab and it would be silly to rush it.
"If I'm not ready to play it will only hurt the team so it is a day-by-day thing.
"It has been really pleasing that the team has got some wins but also that we've improved from game-to-game. That's what we are all about, improving until we get to the level where we know we can knock off any team."
