South East Melbourne's NBL season is at risk of slipping away after a 87-85 loss to the Brisbane Bullets that stretched the Phoenix's winless start to five games.
For all the optimism signalled by their off-season recruitment drive, the Phoenix are the only side yet to taste victory this campaign now the Bullets are off the mark.
There was plenty to play for on the home floor on Saturday as star Phoenix recruit Nathan Sobey met Brisbane for the first time since an acrimonious exit in the off-season.
But lapses in intensity once again cost the Phoenix, who face a tough task to turn things around as Melbourne United and Illawarra await before the month is out.
Championship-winning guard Derrick Walton Jr helped the Phoenix lead by as many 12 points in the second quarter and then kept them in the game late
The American had nine of his 19 points in a tense final quarter.
But with the chance to force overtime from an inbound play in the final 10 seconds, Walton could not shoot over Josh Bannan to level the scores and Brisbane held on.
The Phoenix were also left to rue inviting their visitors back into the game either side of half-time, with big man Tyrell Harrison (21 points, 17 rebounds) sparking a 17-5 run to begin the third quarter.
Harrison was crucial to the Bullets' domination of the offensive rebound count, his 12 for that stat equalling the record for most in an NBL game during the 40-minute era.
Bullets recruit James Batemon had the best game of his short NBL career, hitting back-to-back threes as Brisbane chipped away at the Phoenix's lead late in the second half.
Batemon (20 points) finished with six triples from nine attempts, his last to restore a seven-point buffer as the Phoenix chased the lead late.
Sobey (five points, three rebounds, three assists) was benched for his grudge match against the Bullets and had another tough night shooting the ball.
The Olympic bronze medallist landed only one of his first eight attempts from the field -- a corner three just before half-time.