Dion Prewster has replaced an ailing Duane Bailey in a late change to the Tall Blacks squad to contest the Oceania Olympic qualifying series against Australia.
Prewster left with the 12-man group for Melbourne on Thursday ahead of the first game on Saturday. The second leg is played in Wellington on Tuesday, with the winners booking a ticket to the Rio 2016 Olympics and the losers forced to qualifying through a repechage system.
New Zealand Breakers forward Bailey was admitted to hospital on Monday with a gastro-intestinal bug.
His place goes to US-born guard Prewster, a four-year veteran of the New Zealand NBL who is likely to earn modest minutes.
Aside from the late change, coach Paul Henare pronounced himself happy with the preparation.
They beat Great Britain and pushed Croatia and Slovenia close in a short European tour before winning all four games at the Stankovic Cup tournament against decent international opposition in China last month.
The tour was notable for the reliance on Breakers guard Corey Webster for points production.
It is something Henare admits they will need to mirror if a New Zealand team missing unavailable Oklahoma City Thunder centre Steven Adams are to topple a Boomers team laden with NBA talent.
Webster is likely to be marked by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova, who rose to prominence with aggressive defensive outings against the champion Indiana Pacers in this year's NBA final series.
"From the start of our tour Corey was our main guy and he's had quality people guarding him and he's performed very well," Henare said.
"Della is known for that ruggedness and that toughness that he brings but we feel that we're prepared and I think Corey is prepared for that battle as well.
"It's about figuring out how to keep Corey incorporated in the offence under extreme pressure. Can we set good screens? Can we run the right plays?"
Henare isn't concerned by what is expected to be a hostile atmosphere in Melbourne, believing most of his squad will have experienced similar in US college or European leagues.
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