Starting centre Chris McLaughlin – who missed that game because of illness – is expected to be fit, but head coach Zeljko Pavlicevic is taking nothing for granted.

“The biggest mistake will be if we start thinking we put a certain player in and it will be an easier game,” the 71-year-old said. “We won big in the first meeting but it is a different game every time.

“I expect a tough game because the Slingers are only a game behind us. We have the same intention to win and we are ready but the top five teams are close.”

Teammates believe the presence of McLaughlin – who has six double-doubles in seven games played – is going to help.

“Chris being back for this game puts us back with an advantage,” team captain Adam Xu said. “Aside from rebounding and scoring, he does so much more to help the team be successful.”

Eastern lead the league by points difference with two other teams – NS Matrix and the Heat – also sharing the same win-loss record.

Dominic Gilbert – who had 29 points and 17 rebounds in the previous meeting with the Slingers – is confident for the second half of the season.

“Our preparations for the upcoming circuits in Malaysia and Vietnam have gone well and we have been able to gel with each other even more,” the 26-year-old Australian-Croatian forward said.

“I think our best basketball is yet to come, which we will hopefully show in the games to come.”

Xu also played a key part in clamping down on Singapore’s import Xavier Alexander last time, forcing the American to miss all nine of his shots.

“After the last game I am sure Singapore will be making adjustments and coming out with great energy,” the 29-year-old said. “We certainly have to rise to the occasion.”

“The team is doing well and we are all excited to be on the road again and back to business.”

Elsewhere in the league, Philippines outfit Zamboanga Valientes made a push trying to lift the team out of the bottom half.

Sitting in sixth place with just three wins out of eight matches, the Valientes signed veteran and two-time NBA champion Mario Chalmers for the rest of the season.

“Of course, we are very excited to be joined by an NBA champion,” team owner Junnie Navarro said. “Chalmers will be contributing a lot to our team, especially since he had experience playing with LeBron James – our local players will surely learn a lot from him.”

The 36-year-old point guard averaged 8.9 points, 3.7 assists and 2.5 rebounds in his nine-year NBA career with the Miami Heat and the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Valientes remain the only team Eastern have yet to play against this season.

The two teams will meet next Tuesday when the Hong Kong outfit wraps up the three-game Malaysia circuit.