Illawarra Hawks coach Jacob Jackomas admits his side need a change in mind-set, and possibly personnel, following a 2-6 start to the NBL season.
Last season's wooden spooners dropped to the bottom of the ladder with Friday night's 103-83 home loss to traditional rivals, the Sydney Kings.
Illawarra shot two of 13 attempts from the field in a six-minute period across halftime that proved game-defining.
But Jackomas believed lapses in concentration on defence were costlier as the Kings blew the scoreline out.
"We just don't buy in defensively for the whole time," Jackomas said.
"We could talk about shooting percentages, this, that and whatever.
"(But) we still scored 83 points in a basketball game. If you get stops, you might be able to get some cheap ones which get you to 90. That's enough points."
Imports Tyler Harvey (four points from nine per cent field-goal accuracy) and Justin Robinson (four of 12 from the field) again had tough nights.
Jackomas flagged possible changes to the rotation as the Hawks look to their next game against Cairns on November 11 but would not single players out.
"I'm not coming out and making big statements, it's more maybe my mindset in regards to maybe a couple of guys don't play today if they don't do their job, or playing guys less," he said.
"We've got to make guys accountable and they've got to make each other accountable a little bit and when I say change, it's more mind-set change rather than drastic changes that way (on court).
"I'll always put my hand up and say I've got to think of something to get this thing right but ... everyone in the room needs to make some sort of change."
The Hawks have shown flashes of potential in Jackomas's second season as coach.
They pushed championship favourites Melbourne United for the first three quarters of Sunday's clash and beat last season's semi-finalists Cairns Taipans in the game before that.
"There is still a belief in this group, it's not like there's no talent in the room, it's just we've got to get to what get to the bolts of what rings everyone's bell to do the gritty stuff," Jackomas said.
"With time together, that does help.
"(But) it doesn't matter how much time we've spent together, we have to take this personally right now.
"We're still a professional basketball team, it's not good enough to get kicked in the pants and then go, 'All right we'll pick it up now'. We've got to be more consistent."
