An outburst by star veteran Brad Newley followed another tense and fiery Sydney Kings training session but coach Andrew Gaze hailed it as a positive sign for his struggling team.
The 1-4 Kings are bottom of the NBL ladder after poor performances in bad away losses to New Zealand Breakers and Adelaide in the last round.
Struggling in the rebounding area, Sydney are now looking to bolster their squad with an import centre, but that's unlikely to happen before Sunday's away game against fellow stragglers Illawarra Hawks.
Emotions ran high at training on Wednesday with an agitated Newley verbally upset at the end of the session.
"I've been exceptionally pleased with the response the last three days at practice. They've come in there and it's fire and brimstone stuff," Gaze said.
"It's very aggressive and I said to the fellows post-training I'm rapt to see that there's some tension because everyone is going at it that hard and competing that hard.
"(It's) fantastic. Provided its harnessed in the right way I think it's an encouraging sign."
Forward Todd Blanchfield also regarded Newley's blow up as a good sign.
"I think that's healthy for the group...and then come Sunday we'll be ready to beat someone else up," Blanchfield told AAP..
A new import big man would replace guard Jeremy Kendle, himself a short-term replacement for injured captain Kevin Lisch, but Gaze acknowledged they could not pin too much hope on the new centre.
"There's really only way to fix our problems and that is with real hard work, the reps on the floor," Gaze said.
"I don't think there's ever a time to press the panic button. You've got to be rational."
'Highly-rated rookie centre Isaac Humphries hasn't played big minutes, but Gaze stressed the teenage ex-US college star had got into foul trouble in some games and was still learning his craft, especially at the defensive end.
He praised the attitude of established swingman Blanchfield, who is being played out of position at power forward, and former co-captain Tom Garlepp, who isn't getting much court time.
Gaze also rubbished a published claim that former Melbourne and Townsville player Blanchfield had been promised a starting role when he moved to Sydney this season.
In only his second NBL season as a coach, Gaze is facing a stern test as he battles to turn the team's fortunes around and admitted rethinking the way he imparts his game plan, with players struggling to implement it at times.
"The way in which we're teaching it, we need to look at that and go about in a way in which there's perhaps a greater understanding," Gaze said.
"I think there needs to be a greater level of commitment to it as well."
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