After ups-and-downs on the court and financial problems off the court, the Spirit needs to win against the Sydney Uni Flames at Bendigo Stadium tonight to keep control of its destiny this season.

And they may have to do it without star player Deanna Smith, who is in doubt with heel and Achilles injuries.

Smith has not trained all week, but she will be given until the match warm-up tonight to prove her fitness.

Wins in its final two WNBL matches – with Logan travelling to Bendigo next weekend – would give the Spirit a realistic chance of finishing third and the right to host a final.

The Spirit already has head-to-head advantage against Dandenong and Townsville, and a win tonight – by more than the two-point margin Sydney beat Bendigo by in round four – will give the Spirit the advantage over the Flames as well.

If teams finish level on wins at the end of the season, head-to-head advantage decides which club finishes higher on the ladder.

But a loss tonight would mean Bendigo has to rely on other results going its way to have a chance of sneaking into the top-five.

“At the end of the day it’s make or break against Sydney,” Spirit coach Bernie Harrower said.

“If we win we’re a chance of making finals, if we lose we’re out. We’re still a chance of finishing third, but we can also finish sixth.”

One of the early season pace-setters, Sydney has dropped off in the second-half of the year and is coming into the match with four losses from its past five games.

But with players of the calibre of US import Amy Denson and Australian Opal Belinda Snell, plus a host of supporting players, Sydney has the attacking options to test the Spirit’s defence.

“It’s a situation where they’ve got six or seven really good players. Where they sit on the ladder isn’t a fair reflection on their group,” Harrower said.

“We have to defend a very good basketball team and offensively do the job as well.”

The Spirit played superbly last weekend against top-of-the-table Adelaide before going down in over-time.

A vocal home crowd gave Bendigo a lift and Harrower is hoping for the same tonight.

“We need a big crowd to come in and support us, we need every bit of how good they’ve been all year and more,” he said.

“They can be worth 10 to 15 points for us.”

Australian Opal Kristi Harrower and star centre Gabrielle Richards have been nursed through training this week, but they will play tonight.