Chris Webber scored a season-high 35 points and added 10 rebounds and seven assists as the Kings extended their season-high winning streak to six games with a 118-112 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Sacramento had lost four of six games before heading into a five-game homestand at Arco Arena on December 23. The Kings had no trouble winning all five games at home before heading to the road, where they had lost four straight.
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from Kings-Suns: 56k | 300k  Doug Christie had the touch, pouring in 20 points on the Suns. Barry Gossage NBAE/Getty Images |
Peja Stojakovic followed with a 3-pointer and Hedo Turkoglu nailed another to give the Kings a 109-103 advantage with 2:41 to go.
Stojakovic scored seven of his 25 points in the final nine minutes and Sacramento won on the road for the first time since November 20 at San Antonio.
"It's a great win for us because we haven't played very well on the road," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "I'm pleased about the way we started and were able to sustain. Hopefully this will jump-start us on the road."
Including two wins in the first round of last year's playoffs, the Kings have won six of their last eight games in America West Arena.
Doug Christie scored 20 points and Scot Pollard added 10 and 13 rebounds for Sacramento, which had six players score in double figures, including all five starters.
"We had six guys in double figures and we've been doing that for the last six or seven games," Adelman said. "It's the kind of production we've been getting."
"That's our team. We depend on each other," Webber said. "I'm getting healthy and a lot of us are getting used to playing with each other."
Turkoglu finished with 13 points off the bench and Mike Bibby collected 12 and seven assists for the Kings, who have won six straight for the first time since a seven-game run from January 9-20, 2000.
Stephon Marbury scored a season-high 35 points and Rodney Rogers had 19 off the bench for Phoenix, which has lost three straight on the heels of a three-game winning streak.
Shawn Marion scored 14 points and Dan Majerle posted season highs of 11 points and eight rebounds to go with five assists.
Christie nailed a trio of 3-pointers in the opening six minutes as the Kings jumped out to a 23-7 lead. But the Suns responded with a 16-4 run, highlighted by five points from Marbury, and pulled within 29-23 heading into the second quarter.
"They came out of the gates tough tonight," Marion said. "We closed the gap and turned it into a game and the whole rest of the way. They just got the best of us."
Sacramento led, 63-47, at intermission but Phoenix scored a season-high 65 points after halftime. The Suns trailed, 92-80, with 9:44 remaining before scoring 15 of the next 19 points.
Marbury scored the first five points of the burst and eight overall, including a jumper to bring the Suns within 96-95 with 6:23 to play.
"The way we played in the second half is the way we have to play throughout the remainder of the season," Marbury said. "We have to use this as a catapult."