Melbourne United guard Shea Ili has suffered a fresh hamstring injury in a huge blow for Dean Vickerman's title-hunting team ahead of the NBL finals.
The league's two-time reigning defensive player of the year, Ili returned to action late last month and featured in United's past three games.
He was set to gradually build his minutes as part of coach Vickerman's plan to have one of the league's most influential players firing when it matters most.
But the latest setback - Ili's fourth hamstring injury in a horror campaign - will sideline the New Zealand international for at least the rest of the regular season.
In a statement on Saturday, fourth-placed United said Ili will "be a fitness test for our first finals game".
The 33-year-old, whose decorated career has been littered with soft-tissue injuries and concussion setbacks, has been limited to just 10 appearances this season.
This month Vickerman underlined Ili's importance to Melbourne's title chances.
"He has the highest winning percentage at the club," the coach said at the time.
"When he's in our line-up we have a very good chance of winning basketball games."
Vickerman will also be a spectator for Melbourne's crunch home game against Illawarra at John Cain Arena on Sunday.
The 54-year-old, a three-time NBL championship-winning head coach, has been sidelined by appendicitis.
Assistant coach Rhys Carter will take the reins, as he did for Thursday night's win over Cairns, while Campbell Blogg replaces Ili in the line-up.
United (19-12) are desperate to win as they seek to climb the ladder and secure a home final in the play-in tournament.
