Coach Dean Demopoulos will not dwell on Melbourne United's mystifying loss to last-placed Brisbane at the weekend as he plots to make sure they don't fall out of playoff contention.
Brisbane, who've had a horror season with serious injuries to Boomers' duo Cameron Bairstow and Adam Gibson and enforcer Anthony Petrie, climbed off the canvas to shock United 88-71 just days after a 31-point flogging at the hands of Adelaide.
The loss leaves Melbourne in a five-way fight for the top four and a trip to the finals.
The only thing certain about the NBL's top four is that Adelaide (16-7), who are riding a six-game winning streak, should take top spot.
Illawarra (12-11), Melbourne (11-12), Perth (11-11), Sydney (11-12) and New Zealand (11-12) are locked in what Demopoulos calls a "snake fight" to determine the top four.
Demopoulos said he could not explain why his players failed to fire against Brisbane.
"I'm in a quandary as to why we didn't spark up," he said after the shock 17 point loss.
"They outplayed us. Their players were better than ours tonight and their coaches were better than ours, including myself.
'We go back home now and prepare for our next game (Perth away) like we won by 20 points, it makes no difference.
"Nothing really changes for us."
Brisbane skipper Daniel Kickert vowed after a narrow loss New Zealand last week that his players would not limp home in their NBL comeback season.
That statement looked full of holes after Adelaide tore them apart but after knocking over Melbourne without sacked import Jermaine Beal, Kickert's strong words have much more credibility.
"We all go out to play hard and give our best and we will keep fighting right to the very end," he said.
