Denzel Valentine has shrugged off his axing from the Sydney Kings' starting five and inspired the reigning NBL champions to a much-needed 101-82 win over Cairns.
Staring down the possibility of their first three-game losing streak in almost two years, Sydney kicked their habit of leaky defensive performances to keep in touch with the league's heavyweights.
The Kings gave up only 36 points in Friday night's second half at Qudos Bank Arena, having bled an average of 105 across four quarters in their past five losses.
Sydney could finish the weekend as high as third on the ladder, bouncing back after having their "three-peat" credentials questioned in recent weeks.
"The guys just bought into everything that was going on from the start," said coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah.
"The energy was there. I think it started with this guy right here (Valentine)."
In a testament to the close nature of the season, the sixth-placed Taipans could fall as low as ninth by Monday night, though several results would have to go against them.
"Obviously we're holding our heads down but we've got to bounce back, we've got a game in two days," said Taipans forward Sam Mennenga.
"We've got to come together and fight and do the little things."
A former NBA first-round draft pick, Valentine hasn't set the NBL alight as Sydney might have hoped in his first season, and has started from the bench in their past two games.
But with an NBL career-high 29 points, the 30-year-old was undeniably the most influential man on a night when several other Kings struggled.
Jaylen Adams (15 points, 3-of-15 from the field) was uncharacteristically wayward, while Shaun Bruce, Jonah Bolden and Jaylin Galloway had their nights disrupted by foul trouble.
Valentine kicked off a 12-3 run late in the second quarter, sinking two floaters and a three-pointer in 90 seconds to give the Kings a 12-point halftime lead.
In the third, he hit a corner three out of a timeout that gave them what was then a game-high 13-point advantage, before sinking a buzzer-beater that sent them to the final break up by 12.
Valentine, who has played 260 NBA games, said he would be happy to continue playing from the bench if required.
"I really don't have any expectations on whether I'm starting or coming off the bench," he said.
"It's just control what I can, bring energy, be positive and the coaching staff, I believe in them.
"Whatever that role is, I'm going to do it my best."
For Cairns, Mennenga (12 points, six rebounds) stood up as the game became gritty in the third quarter and brought the visitors back to within three points.
But the Taipans were left to rue first-half turnovers that prevented them from kicking clear when they were the better team early in the game.
Cairns also struggled on the glass, losing the rebound count 62-42, as Kings centre Jordan Hunter came up with a career-high 16 boards to go with 13 points in a double-double.
