Melbourne United coach Dean Vickerman believes that if his team can win four of their remaining five games in the season, they can sneak into the NBL finals.
Whether or not they can accomplish the feat is another question.
United's horror run continued on Sunday after being blown out by ladder leaders Sydney Kings 106-88 at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday.
The defeat was their fifth in six games, and resulted in Vickerman's side dropping out of the top four for the first time since October.
It's also left the finals hopes of last year's grand finalists hanging by a thread.
With just three weeks left in the regular season, United (11-12) are two wins adrift of fairytale outfit the Brisbane Bullets in fifth place.
United visit the Bullets after hosting defending champions Perth on Wednesday, however Vickerman has already done the mathematics.
"I think 15 wins is a chance to get you in. That means we certainly gotta to win four out of five," he said of their finals chances.
"When you look at that, you say that's that's pretty tough."
However, the championship-winning coach insists one win could be the catalyst his team needs to make a late dash for the play-offs.
"One win for us now, just to build a little momentum, would give us life," he said.
"There's some little things that we take out of that one in the first half to say there was some improvement areas.
"But again, when it was time to really stand up, we just weren't good enough."
Star guard Melo Trimble did his best to inspire United with 26 points, however Boomers sharpshooter Chris Goulding connected on just four of 13 looks.
Big man Shawn Long also had a quiet 13 points and six boards, prompting Vickerman to concede that his stuttering team has lost some self-belief.
"When you lose a few in a row, there's a little confidence drop," he said.
"When we went back and watch some games from earlier in the year; and even when we played these guys earlier in the year, just the purpose is a little sharper than we're doing right now.
"You'd hope you'd have improvements this time of year and we haven't."
Australian Associated Press
