Te Awamutu. Five syllables that send shivers up the spines of Nelson Giants fans everywhere.

The rural town nestled between Hamilton and Cambridge, within a cowpat's toss of Otorohanga, just isn't the Giants' happy place.

They usually lose games there and they often lose a player to injury there, too, and last night was no different as the Fico Finance Giants opened their national basketball league season with 92-73 defeat at the hands of the defending champion Waikato Pistons.

Adding the injury to the insult was what appears to be serious knee damage for starting forward Darryl Jones, who lasted just four minutes before going down.

He was to be assessed in New Plymouth hospital today, after the Giants travelled to Taranaki for the second half of their road double-header in the Bartercard NBL, but Nelson coach Chris Tupu wasn't optimistic.

"It looks like DJ has done something pretty significant to his kneecap," Tupu said.

"We won't know until he's been looked at, but he was in a fair bit of pain."

With Mika Vukona still meeting his contract requirements on the Gold Coast and Jones set to be sidelined for a stretch, the Giants are lacking size and inside muscle.

That was clearly illustrated in the battle of the boards last night. The Pistons smashed Nelson, 57-32, with 2.15m Tall Black centre Alex Pledger snaffling 20 rebounds.

Waikato had 24 offensive rebounds and feasted on the extra possession, winning every quarter; 18-17 23-17 25-17 and 26-22.

"I'm very disappointed with our rebounding effort," Tupu said. "They are a big team and we knew they would be a handful there, but there was a lack of commitment and a lack of urgency that have nothing to do with physical size – just the size of your heart."

Compounding Nelson's problems was a virtuoso shooting performance on debut by American guard Eric Devendorf.

A troubled star at college, he's using a stint in Waikato to ignite his professional career, which has stuttered since leaving Syracuse University.

Devendorf made seven of his three-point shots and penetrated the Giants' defence at will as he stacked up 49 points. Tupu said he was a very good player made to look great.

"Defence was something we have stressed since the pre-season and yet we couldn't stop their penetration and we gave up 24 offensive boards. I'd call those things unforgiveable."

American forward Michael Harrison led Nelson's scoring with 24 points but, at 2.06m, must contribute more than four rebounds in an undermanned frontline.

Centre Tony Rampton toiled away against Pledger and 2.03m Australian Tony Ronaldson for 11 points and 13 rebounds but could use more help, while guard Josh Bloxham made the most of his minutes.

The Giants drove from Te Awamutu to Taranaki directly after the game – Waikato didn't bother to provide a post-match meal for the visitors – to prepare for tonight's game against the MountainAirs.

Winless last season, Taranaki has reeled in Tall Black, Breakers and former Giants forward Jeremiah Trueman, a promising point guard in ex-Aucklander Tyrone Davey, and a shooter with the talent to match Devendorf in US recruit Jack Leasure.

"We've lost our first game and we have probably lost DJ, but what do you do?" Tupu said. "You regroup, you prepare for the next game, you address what was done poorly and you go as hard as you can to get the win in the next game.

"We have a chance to split this road trip and come home with a win under our belts and that will be the sole focus for the next 24 hours."

The Christchurch Cougars staged a breathtaking rally to come from 20 points down early in the second spell to pip the Bay Hawks 75-72 in their match at Cowles Stadium last night.

The Cougars looked buried after a miserable second quarter where they managed just 12 points as the visitors charged out to a 48-30 lead by the break.

But the second spell was a mirror image of the first as the Cougars lifted their intensity, and the Hawks faltered badly.

Waikato Pistons 92 (Eric Devendorf 49, Alex Pledger 11, Gerard Bowden 10), Fico Finance Nelson Giants 73 (Michael Harrison 24, Phil Jones 17, Tony Rampton 13).

Christchurch Cougars 75 (Paora Winitana 27, Jeremy Kench 20), Bay Hawks 72 (Dave Langrell 18, Nat Connell 15, Ben Hill 12).