The Nuggets' roster has been stripped bare in the past month and the franchise is expected to struggle at the Lion Foundation Arena tonight against a line-up which includes Casey Frank, Dillon Boucher and Adrian Majstrovich.
American import Lemar Gayle became the latest player to leave when he decided to quit earlier this week after being fined $500 for inappropriate behaviour.
Gayle clogged up the statistics sheet with 377 points at an average 26.9, 109 rebounds at 7.8, 34 assists and 28 steals.
His absence leaves a crater-sized void on offence which the Nuggets have no way of plugging.
Aside from American centre Antoine Tisby, only Brent Charleton is averaging more than 10 points a game.
The Nuggets were already without starting point guard Nat Connell and bench player Steve Robinson.
They are suspended until June 2 after testing positive for cannabis.
Back-up centre Jason Greig broke his leg in the 96-80 drubbing by the Nelson Giants at the Trafalgar Centre on May 3.
The losses have left Nuggets coach Don Sims with no choice but to front a team largely made up of the players he brought into the squad for development.
"Our approach to the game hasn't changed," Sims said.
"We'll play as hard as we can with what we've got and try to get the most out of our kids as we can get, and hope for the best results from there."
Sims said the goal was to keep the game as close as they could and hope for the best down the stretch.
"I always like to look at the cup as half full but it is safe to say it is going to be a challenge for us."
In the last two weeks promising point guard James Ross has marked Paul Henare and Lindsay Tait, both of whom have played for the Tall Blacks.
They are classy players capable of match-winning performances and shutting the pair down was a very big defensive assignment for an 18-year-old.
Likewise, 17-year-old Tom Rowe and 19-year-old Tom Allan have found themselves banging bodies with the likes of Tall Black Pero Cameron.
The experience they are getting now should serve the franchise well in the years to come, Sims said.
"These guys are getting great experience and a year or two from now they should be able to make a noise in the league.
"We want to retain these young guys and give them some experience and bring them back as a unit. All the successful teams in the league have a core of good local players, so that is what we have to do."
Nuggets v StarsThe teamsOtago Nuggets: Jamie Blake, Darryl Jones, Shaun Tilby, Brent Charleton, Antoine Tisby, Josh O'Connell, Tom Allan, James Ross, Mitch McRae, Pete Burgess.
Auckland Stars (from): Dillon Boucher, Reece Cassidy, Josh Clark, Tyronne Davey, Casey Frank, Valance McCarthy, Adrian Majstrovich, Karl Noyer, Dylan Perfect-Tait, Vallance Te Ratana, George Baker, Jonathan Shepherd.
Head to head2008: Stars 92-82, Auckland2007: Stars 90-80, Auckland2007: Stars 111-102, Dunedin2006: Stars 77-64, Dunedin2006: Stars 81-54, Auckland
