Influential point guard CJ Bruton is poised to take to the court for the New Zealand Breakers in their New Year's Eve NBL clash with Cairns on Saturday.
Bruton has had to sit and watch the table-topping Breakers' last five games as he recovers from a torn patella tendon in his knee.
The veteran guard is hoping for the all-clear following practice on Thursday, and says he's found it tough sitting on the sidelines.
"It's been pretty rough, first finding out I had an injury that has been hampering me and then changing my routine," Bruton said.
His frustration has been tempered somewhat by the Breakers' form, winning four of their last five games.
"I was excited for the boys to do well and to be playing as well as they have been," he said.
"The absence has just made the hunger come back a little more."
The Breakers still sit atop the NBL table with 10 wins from 14 starts, although they stuttered last Friday when the second-placed Perth Wildcats racked up a convincing 86-62 win at Challenge Stadium.
Bruton says the enforced rest coupled with more time to put in some quality hard work in the gym has been a blessing in disguise.
And although the knee isn't 100 per cent yet, Bruton says he is wiser to the injury and how to manage it in 2012.
"The knee is still here and there, a couple of days it feels really good and then it is a little sore, but I am able to play on it now.
"It's a case of managing it better than I did first time around, and hopefully allowing my body to fully recover. I have to be more conservative and be smart about it."
