Casey Prather is back in his natural environment and fit enough to make an impact as Brisbane attempt to lock in just their second NBL finals appearance, eight years after returning to the league.
The Bullets (13-14) can sew up a top-six spot and finish as high as fourth if they beat the New Zealand Breakers (12-14) in Auckland on Friday.
They've featured just once in the post-season since ending an eight-season NBL absence in 2016, bundled out 2-0 by Perth in 2019, and have not won a finals game since 2008.
Mid-season injury replacement import Prather has returned after two seasons on the sidelines with knee injuries of his own that followed an MVP campaign in Israel.
The American forward has won three NBL titles, helping the Wildcats to back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017 before joining Melbourne United and winning for a third successive year.
Used sparingly on arrival late last year, only foul trouble capped his minutes under 20 in a big defeat of Adelaide last week and the import trained strongly at Nissan Arena on Wednesday.
"I'm getting there," he said, admitting he had fears he would never be back in this position.
"All those emotions go through the back of your head after an injury like that.
"I just had to stay diligent and that's why you do the work; you hope you're the one at the end of the season, end of the game, cutting down those nets (as a champion).
"That's the goal for all of us."
Prather had current Bullets coach Justin Schueller as an assistant on his run to the title with United.
"He's feeling really confident with it," Schueller said.
"It's another piece that we can add and it's exciting he's back to where he feels he can impact.
"He's been in this position before and he's a winner."
The Bullets would also qualify if the Sydney Kings lose to South East Melbourne on Saturday.
But Friday's clash is a must-win for the Breakers, who will then play the 36ers in Sunday's final regular-season game in what could be the defining fixture.
There will be added significance after Breakers great Tom Abercrombie, in his 15th season at the club, announced his retirement at season's end on Tuesday.
"They've been one of the best clubs in this competition for a while and put banners in the rafters recently," Schueller said.
"But we have been there and took care of business and experienced it earlier this season.
"We win and we're in ... it's everything we've been building up all year and we keep saying we've never hoped to make the play-offs, always expected to."
