Tahjere McCall's missed three-pointer on the fulltime buzzer has allowed Melbourne United to escape with an 84-81 victory over the Cairns Taipans in the open air clash at John Cain Arena.
United led by 13 points inside the last four minutes of Friday night's nail-biter before surviving the Taipans' late rally to make it three successive wins.
Import DJ Hogg nailed two threes in the final 40 seconds to trim Melbourne's lead to three points.
On the next play, Chris Goulding was called for travelling after inexplicably taking about six steps.
With possession and the chance to tie, Cairns looked for Hogg again but he was double-teamed and forced to dish to McCall, a less proficient perimeter bomber, whose long shot always looked just awry.
Ultimately, Rayjon Tucker (27 points) was the difference between the two sides, well supported by Goulding (20).
McCall (21 points) and Hogg (20) led the way for the Snakes, while Keanu Pinder (16) shook off an early ankle concern and a split lip to exert his influence.
It was all Melbourne early, Goulding burying his first three triples to help put the home side up 26-21 at quarter time.
A technical foul on Cairns coach Adam Forde for demonstratively pointing at the officials sparked a 15-2 United splurge early in the second period.
Tucker smoked nine of those points as Melbourne pulled ahead by 15 points before the visitors closed United's buffer to 47-39 when McCall nailed a bomb from almost half-court on the halftime buzzer.
Cairns' lifted their defence in the third term and, after falling behind 76-63 in the fourth, launched an even more sustained rearguard.
The Taipans' 8-0 run was snapped by a vicious Tucker slam in transition but they refused to concede all the way to the wire.
