Perth Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson has backed import Terrico White to play through the pain in Friday night's crunch NBL clash with Adelaide.
White is nursing a left-wrist injury and has been wearing a large arm guard this week.
The Wildcats have only two games left in their regular season, and will secure top spot with wins against Adelaide (home) and Melbourne (away).
One win will be enough to secure a top-two berth and home court advantage during the semi-finals.
White has been a strong contributor for the Wildcats this season, averaging 15.6 points per game.
Gleeson is confident the American will be fit to face Adelaide.
"He's one of the toughest guys I've coached," Gleeson said.
"He's played with niggles before, and he'll just have to play again.
"He just jammed the wrist. It was more of a precaution.
"He had a great session (on Wednesday). He got through it well. So we'll rest him up today and get him ready for tomorrow night."
If Adelaide (14-13) lose to the Wildcats, they can be pipped for the fourth and final play-off berth by the Brisbane Bullets (13-14).
With so much on the line, Gleeson is expecting the 36ers to come out firing.
"We've been in that situation before," Gleeson said.
"We had to beat Melbourne on their court a couple of years back. So the desperation level will be up.
"In the pressure situation the cream comes to the top. It's how you play together and how you handle that pressure."
Meanwhile, Gleeson has tipped star guard Bryce Cotton to win a second straight MVP award.
Cotton will battle it out with the likes of Andrew Bogut, Casper Ware, and Melo Trimble for the honour.
The winner will be announced this Sunday.
"What he's been able to do on a regular basis with the attention that he gets on the court, he's miles in front of anybody else in this league I think," Gleeson said of Cotton, who has averaged a league-high 22.7 points per game.
