Melbourne United have snapped a two-game losing run in an emphatic 92-81 silencing of rivals South East Melbourne that took the heat out of their historic NBL Throwdown.

It was the first time in 30 meetings that the teams had met while occupying the top two spots on the ladder.

And an epic was brewing after two tight quarters, before United coach Dean Vickerman pulled the strings and shut down a Phoenix offence that had threatened a Saturday boilover against their big brother.

United guard Tyson Walker was instrumental (24 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals), shooting four-of-seven from long range in a player-of-the-game performance.

Finn Delany (18 points, five rebounds, four assists, four steals) was everywhere and Jesse Edwards (nine points, 11 boards) dominated the paint.

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Then there was Chris Goulding (16 points, four-of-11 triples) and Milton Doyle (12 points, five assists) chiming in to remind the league why they had won nine-straight games before their recent bout of hiccups.

They led by as many as 22 points before Phoenix pegged back the lead in the final minutes.

"Absorbing their pressure in the first quarter was something we've talked about," United coach Dean Vickerman said, praising his team's physicality.

"Limit turnovers, fast-break possessions, do a bit better with (Nathan) Sobey and foxy (Owen Foxwell) going downhill.

"It's a team that pressures you, but if you have a chance to go by them there's some points at the rim."

Sobey (15 points) and Foxwell (nine points, seven assists) had Phoenix humming but finished with eight of the side's 22 turnovers between them.

Those errors contributed in a clunky 21-12 third quarter that proved the difference as Josh King's side fell to 7-3 to sit third.

"All the credit to them, they were the more physical, more aggressive, more annoying team tonight," King said.

Phoenix were fortunate some sloppy handling in the later stages of their one-point defeat of the JackJumpers didn't cost them on Thursday.

"That's the second game in a row where we've had a problem getting shots up and turning the ball over," King said.

"The game gets really hard when you have 22 turnovers ... it's going to be hard to win it.

"That's the one stat that's really hard to overcome."