Phoenix “the best team in the NBL”

South East Melbourne GM of Basketball Operations, Simon Mitchell, has declared the Phoenix as "the best team in the NBL for the past two months".

In a press-conference on Tuesday, Mitchell was adamant his team isn't getting the recognition they deserve, explaining the ladder climbers are flying under the radar.

“They seem to be talking about the other teams. You get more talk about Adelaide and what they’re capable of than a team that’s been the best team in the NBL for the past two months,” Mitchell said.

“Tough start with the worst team, now we’ve gone to the best with the number three ranked best offensive team in the NBL, and number three ranked defence.

“We’re well on our way, we’re playing a brand of basketball I think is conducive to the post-season.”

It’s no secret since head coach Josh King took over, the Phoenix have transformed into championship contenders, after an 0-5 start.

South East Melbourne has taken down other top teams in the league, beating the Illawarra Hawks and their crosstown rivals Melbourne United twice.

“I don’t think we need to continue to prove that. We’ve beaten Melbourne United the last two times, going into their last week’s game against Illawarra, everyone is saying their form is somehow conducive of them being a top team,” Mitchell said.

“Our form has been far superior to theirs (United) but we’ve beaten them twice, we’ve beaten Illawarra the last two times we played them.

“I think anyone who watches basketball and has taken in what’s going on around them, they’ll know that we’re actually legit.”

Next in the Phoenix's sights are the Sydney Kings, who they take on tonight at State Basketball Centre, a team who they’ve lost to twice.

“We were in a position to beat them twice, and we let ourselves down in the fourth quarter. That’s going to be our main motivation,” Mitchell said.

Tip-off between the Phoenix and Kings is 7:30pm AEDT tonight, live on ESPN.