The Breakers are in the unusual position of having won their opening match of the ANBL playoffs but their experiences over the past couple of seasons means they will know exactly what they will face in game two in Sydney on Monday afternoon.
The Breakers can wrap up their semifinal series against the Kings on Monday after their comfortable 81-64 win at Vector Arena last night but are wary of an opposition fighting for their survival. Of course, the Breakers were beaten in the first game of the playoffs on each of the last two seasons and faced elimination if they didn't win the second game.
It's that experience which could prove valuable, especially with a number of old heads in their team like Dillon Boucher, Mika Vukona and CJ Bruton who remember what it was like for them.
"Any time you play someone facing elimination, they're desperate,'' coach Andrej Lemanis said. "It's always the challenge. It's about rising up for that next game.
"It's a good opportunity for us to see where we are at, to meet that. We have experienced this before and I think that's one of the advantages we have. We are playoff-hardened. We understand what it takes and where it goes in playoffs and the fact that, when people face elimination, their desperation is that one level up. We have to match that desperation. If you don't, you lose. If you do, you have a chance to win.''
