The New Zealand Breakers concede their defence is being exposed by the NBL's heavyweight teams but coach Kevin Braswell is pleading for patience.
A stiff run of games continues this week for the fourth-placed Breakers (4-5) who host the league-leading Wildcats (8-1) on Friday before a fiendish turnaround for both teams two days later in Perth.
Braswell's men have come alive offensively following a clunky start to the season, racking up 100 points in each of their last three home games.
They also looked fluent in Sunday's 100-87 loss to the Kings in Sydney but were again exposed at the defensive end.
It was the same story two nights earlier in Auckland when Melbourne United romped home 108-101.
Facing the three league favourites in quick succession is a challenge Braswell embraces and he says the players are showing it when they've got the ball in hand.
"But there's no excuse for this team to give up 100-point games on back to back nights so we've got to get better," Braswell said.
"We've gotten so much better offensively and that was our focus the last couple of weeks.
"Defensively, that takes a little bit of time to build so hopefully it happens.
"When you're playing top level teams and teams that are expected to be in the top four, you have to bring it at the defensive end."
Braswell says communication is the biggest hurdle to clear but American import Shawn Long believes it's more about attitude.
Aggressive centre Long, who held his own in big-time duels last week with Josh Boone (Melbourne) and Andrew Bogut (Sydney) knows his team are capable of bringing mongrel.
"It's weird because at training we go at each other every single day, we try to take each other's heads off," he said.
"I think if we get that applied to the game, we'll be all right. At the moment we're trying to figure out how to get that going."
Share
