CJ Bruton is enjoying the "beautiful feeling'' of making a finals series but the four-time Australian NBL champion knows better than most how it can all end in tears.
The Breakers begin their second straight finals campaign at Vector Arena on Thursday night, and veteran guard Bruton is gunning for his fifth ring after tasting success last year and previously winning with Sydney and Brisbane.
The 36-year-old Bruton has had an 18-year career in professional basketball, and knows all about the highs and lows that can be achieved at this time of year.
And he's using that knowledge, particularly of playoff pain, to drive his side past Perth and on to back-to-back championships.
"I've been in a couple of situations earlier in my career where I've been in the semifinals and lost,'' Bruton said. "I remember, my second time [for Wollongong against Adelaide in 1999] I really believed that my team could get it done and we didn't do it.
"I remember sitting there and crying. I literally cried, and I cried for about 20 minutes. My season was over, and I finally realised it meant a lot more than, 'oh, it just happened - who cares'. It wasn't about me, it was how we didn't reach the goal that we had set as a team.''
For the Breakers to achieve their goal they will have to get past arch-rivals Perth in three games. Thankfully for the Auckland-based team, they have a player like Bruton in their side.
In the 2-1 semifinal series defeat of Townsville, the Australian came off the bench to lead the Breakers' scoring in both of their victories. He is a player who seems to thrive when the pressure is cranked up, something Bruton attributed to setbacks early in his career.
"I remember watching players like [Adelaide's] Brett Maher be such a great leader for his team and go on and win three titles. After they beat us I said, 'that's what I want to be - I want to be remembered like that'.
"When it comes to crunch time like this, I know that I'm not going to be the one to die wondering and go home. I'm not going to be the guy to shy away from a moment like this.
"I've had many moments like this, and I know what it means.''
One such moment came just last season with a green Breakers outfit in their first finals campaign in their eight-year history. By that point, Bruton had turned into the leader he strived to be after winning championships in 2004, 2005 and 2007, and he helped the club become the first New Zealand team to win an Australian league.
But Bruton said finding a second success would be more significant.
"Your first one's always special, and for the Breakers that first one was like a monkey off your back. This time around, after knowing what we went through all last year, and the people from the other teams who said, `they're not going to make it', [and] to go through adversity ... it means a lot more.''
This time of the year - a "special'' time to be playing basketball - stokes Bruton's competitive fire, something which will be needed in what is predicted to be a spiteful series.
"[My teammates] know that I've got their backs, 100 per cent,'' he said. "I don't care who I've got to battle, I don't care if he's seven foot or five foot 10 - I'm coming for you if you're not on my team.''
