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LaMelo Ball produced a few moments of magic but ultimately ended up on the wrong end when the Illawarra Hawks lost 106-102 to the South East Melbourne Phoenix in the National Basketball League at Melbourne Arena on Saturday.

Ball ended his day with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists (1-of-5 from three).

However, he still dazzled the crowd in spurts, such as with this clever pass:

Ball was again the creative spark when the Hawks executed a slick pick-and-roll that ended with Tim Coenraad cashing in from three:

While Ball was showing off some smooth skills, the Phoenix also proved why they are now the first team in history to begin their debut season in the NBL with three straight wins.

Captain Mitchell Creek ended the game with 23 points, a tally only bettered by point guard John Roberson's 26. Roberson was also 5-of-9 from three.

Roberson's accuracy was in contrast to that of Ball, but the 18-year-old did at least show the smarts and industry to make the most of a missed shot:

Ball found himself upstaged by fellow point guard Aaron Brooks, who topped the scoring charts for the Hawks with 23 points. Brooks made four of his eight three-point attempts and had a 50 percent success rate inside the arc.