In a season of momentum changes, Cameron Gliddon hopes the Cairns Taipans' timing is right as the club prepares for six NBL games in 19 days.
The captain has identified the run of games either side of the new year as pivotal in an attempt to re-establish themselves in the top four after back-to-back defeats in the last round.
Things have hardly gone to plan for Cairns this season, with import Michael Carrera departing the club last week after two injuries and just five games at the club.
Former NBA centre Nathan Jawai was injured in the side's opening game and is only just returning to light duties at training.
Reports that Carrera had been sacked after a run-in with the coach surfaced this week, with mentor Aaron Fearne unwilling to comment on the matter on Wednesday.
Gliddon, who scouted the Venezuela international while the pair were playing in Russia, refuted those reports on Friday.
He maintained Carrera's departure was an amicable two-way decision between the club and the player's management, given his recovery from an ankle injury had not progressed at the desired rate.
Injury replacement Jerry Evans Jr has assumed a fulltime role in Carrera's absence, with Gliddon still confident the typically defiant outfit can find a way.
"'It's been a game of runs this season; teams go on a three-game streak and feel pretty good about themselves and then drop a few," he told AAP.
"The Brisbane loss was really tough to take and makes this stretch of games really important.
"We're in that position of playing catch up again, which isn't ideal but we always seem to play well with our backs against the wall."
The Taipans (7-9) visit third-placed Adelaide (8-6) on Sunday, before a trip to Illawarra (5-9) next Thursday and a home court New Year's Eve battle with ladder-leading Perth (10-4).
