There's no point worrying about who can beat NZ in the playoffs if, you know, NZ don't even make the playoffs...
Melbourne has won 3 in a row after changing point guards mid season too. (However, admittedly that did coincide with Goulding's return - he has been brilliant).
Still, plenty of teams have performed well in the face of injuries- Cairns, Adelaide being two. When you factor in overall performance alongside disruptions, scheduling etc- NZ has, to this point, been the most disappointing team of the season.
Cairns is indeed the impressive one, though. They are currently in the strongest position of any team, with a 6-6 record and 10 of their remaining 16 games at home. Not bad for the pre season wooden spoon favourites!