Three-time NBL championship-winning coach Dean Vickerman has coached 45 finals matches but put Melbourne's thrilling series victory over Perth in his top two.
Vickerman's United clinched the semi-final series with a 113-112 game three win on Tuesday night in Melbourne, with skipper Chris Goulding nailing a free throw after he was fouled by Perth's Ben Henshall inside the final second.
Wildcats captain Jesse Wagstaff had drained a three-pointer to tie the game up with just two seconds left on the clock.
The win sent Melbourne to their second successive grand final series, hoping to lift the trophy after losing last year's decider against the Tasmanian Jackjumpers.
The match was hailed by Boomers great Andrew Gaze as one for the ages.
In an offensive frenzy, Goulding finished with 30 points and his teammate Ian Clark had a career-high 38, while Kristian Doolittle (37) and Bryce Cotton (33) starred for the visitors.
"One of the greatest games we've seen in NBL history," Gaze said in commentary.
Vickerman, who has coached United to titles in 2018 and 2021 and the New Zealand Breakers to the championship in 2015, agreed with Gaze's summation.
He said the entire series was full of memorable moments with Goulding scoring 41 points in game one, the Wildcats clawing their way back from a 16-point final quarter deficit to win game two, and the thrilling finale in game three.
"Yeah, for sure ... there's so many talking points about this series, and the finish of the game," said Vickerman, who has coached 360 games, with a winning record only behind Boomers and Sydney Kings coach Brian Goorjian.
"It's certainly up there in the top two semi-final series I've been a part of."
Vickerman said he used his other favourite finals series to inspire his Melbourne team, recalling the influence of ex-Breakers star and coach Kevin Braswell, who died last month following a heart attack, aged 46.
Vickerman was an assistant coach at the Breakers, when they tussled with Perth in 2011.
"I obviously lost a mate in Kevin Braswell recently and I showed the boys that series, where Kevin made massive plays to win game two and Mika (Vukona) had pretty much a broken leg and played.
"That's the other one for me that I'll always remember, and obviously it was against Perth as well in that series."
With the championship decided in a best of five series, United will face the winner of game three in the other playoff, with the Illawarra Hawks and South East Melbourne Phoenix squaring off.
