The Taipans won only six games in their first season under Mike Kelly, but lifted that to 16 to secure third place, and a semi-final series with Perth Wildcats.

"We have a lot of (players) on our team that are trying to prove something," Machado told AAP.

"They want to show that they've come a long way or that they're capable of playing at a high level.

"So everybody understood that and you started to see it in practice every day - everyone just working hard and trying to continuously just get better and obviously that's come to fruition now."

Machado has played a key role in his team's rise.

The point guard has averaged 16.1 points and 7.9 assists and was MVP runner-up behind Perth's Bryce Cotton in his first year in the competition.

"He's a very unselfish player and he's surrounded by guys that are offensive weapons, so that's a deadly combination," Cotton told AAP.

"You've got a lot of offensive weapons and a willing, passing point guard - it's the biggest reason why not only him but so many other players on that team are thriving this year offensively."

The Taipans operate on a lower budget than some higher-profile opponents, making their current position a testament to NBL coach of the year Kelly.

"He's put us together and then he's allowed us to believe in ourselves and believe in each other and then just believing in the system," Machado said.

Cairns' approach hasn't gone unnoticed throughout the league, either.

"I love to see it because so often - especially in Australia - we bang on about 'they don't have the budget, they don't have the money,'" Melbourne United captain Chris Goulding told AAP.

"No, this is a team that have been really savvy with the guys they've got."

"They've got winners - Machado, (DJ) Newbill, they bring in youth and talent in (Cameron) Oliver and they buy into what a great coach is selling and it shows."

Australian Associated Press