Suns-Kings Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Feb 10 2012 1:24PM

After a win over the Western Conference leaders in their last game, the Sacramento Kings are feeling positive about the direction their young team is headed.

The Kings look to win their fourth straight at home Saturday night when they take on the Phoenix Suns.

Sacramento is in the midst of its best stretch of the season, winning four of five, and is coming off a 106-101 victory over West-leading Oklahoma City on Thursday.

Tyreke Evans scored 22 points while DeMarcus Cousins added 19 points and nine rebounds.

The Kings (10-16) scored 28 points off 23 turnovers and had 17 offensive rebounds. It was the third time in four games they topped 100 points after reaching that mark just twice in the previous 22 games.

"We've improved as a team, we're on the right path now," Cousins said. "We're a lot better than our record shows. We've grown so much from the team we used to be."

Cousins and Evans have both taken steps forward under coach Keith Smart. Cousins, who clashed with Paul Westphal before he was fired Jan. 5, is averaging 19.5 points and 14.8 rebounds over the last four games. Evans has averaged 21.4 points in the last seven games after putting up 15.9 per game to start the season.

"We're trying to build. These two guys are the stones right now," Smart said. "Now they're young and they get excited, but ... if they can keep this process up, we're going to get there."

Sacramento, which improved to 7-4 at home with Thursday's win, has won three consecutive home games for the first time since a four-game run Nov. 25-Dec. 2, 2009.

The Kings have yet to face Phoenix this season but have won three straight meetings after losing 17 of the previous 19.

While Sacramento is feeling confident about its direction, the Suns (11-15) may have come away from their last game feeling like they took a step back.

After winning three straight while averaging 100.3 points, Phoenix lost 96-89 at home to Houston on Thursday. The Suns were held to 13 points in the fourth quarter and were outrebounded 44-31.

"Such a winnable game for us," said Steve Nash, who had 13 assists and averages a league-best 10.1. "We didn't convert in so many areas, so it makes it a really disappointing loss. You're going to have cold patches but you've got to find other ways to stay in the game."

The loss spoiled an otherwise good day for Nash, who was named to the All-Star team for the eighth time and became just the fourth player at age 38 or older to make it.

Sacramento has certainly been witness to Nash's consistency over the years. In the last 10 games between the teams, he's averaged 23.9 points and 12.6 assists.

While the Suns have struggled at home, they are playing better on the road, winning two straight and three of four. Phoenix will play its next three on the road.

"We're going to continue to work hard, go on this road trip and do the best we can," said Channing Frye, who had a season-high 21 points and 10 rebounds Thursday.

Frye has made nine 3-pointers over the past three games after an eight-game stretch during which he went 4 for 23 from beyond the arc.

Dudley leads Suns past Kings 98-84

Posted Feb 12 2012 2:03AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) No longer are the Phoenix Suns a fast-paced team that wins games solely with its run-and-gun style.

They can play a little defense now, too.

The Suns were effective in slowing down Sacramento, and Jared Dudley had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, which never trailed in defeating the Kings 98-84 on Saturday night.

The victory was the fourth in five games for the Suns, who have won their last three on the road. Phoenix took a double-digit lead in the second quarter and maintained a comfortable margin for the remainder of the game.

Phoenix shot 50 percent and hit eight 3-pointers, which are numbers that seem typical of Suns teams in the past. What wasn't typical in previous seasons was holding a team to 35 percent shooting and blocking 11 shots, including four by center Marcin Gotat and three by reserve forward Markieff Morris.

"We did a good job of keeping a man in front of them and made the Kings take bad shots," Dudley said. "We've been playing a lot better lately, especially on the road."

One emphasis entering the game was controlling Kings guard Tyreke Evans, who leads Sacramento in both scoring and assists. That job was handed to Grant Hill, the oldest player on the court at age 39, and a veteran of 17 NBA seasons. Hill made it difficult on the Kings' explosive guard, who shot 1 of 9 and finished with four points and five assists.

"He's a great player," Hill said. "I tried to use my size and length against him, and make him take tough shots. I'm sure the next time we play them it might be different."

Morris had 18 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Channing Frye had 17 points and Gortat had 15 points and seven rebounds.

DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points and nine rebounds, and Marcus Thornton made four 3-pointers and had 21 points for the Kings.

Sacramento, which had won four of its previous five games, hardly resembled the team that two nights earlier defeated the Western Division-leading Oklahoma City Thunder 106-101.

"We were going up against a team that was pretty solid and highly trained to guard," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "I thought Grant Hill did a great job of trying to create space and keep us out of the paint. We couldn't finish some plays in the paint."

The Suns made three 3-pointers over a three-minute span, and the final one by Michael Redd put them ahead 86-69 midway through the fourth quarter.

Suns point guard Steve Nash, who turned 38 earlier this week, took a shot in the mouth on the final possession of the first quarter and spent much of the second quarter getting four stitches to sew up a wound in his lower lip.

The sensitive lip didn't slow down Nash. He shot sparingly all game and scored four points, but handed out 15 assists in 29 minutes.

"He can dominate a game and not have a basket," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "He came back in the third quarter and helped us get separation. We never let them back in the game."

Phoenix controlled the tempo in the third quarter, scoring inside frequently and making the cold-shooting Kings take contested shots. Gortat scored six points and the Suns shot 61 percent in outscoring the Kings 22-16 and taking a 75-60 lead into the final quarter.

"Our offense was kind of stagnant. We broke down defensively on some plays and we didn't get the stops when they were needed," Kings reserve forward Chuck Hayes said. "But you've got to give the Suns credit. They had a great game. They moved the ball very well. They know how they want to play and they do it."

With Nash leading the way with his pinpoint passing, the Suns scored numerous baskets in transition in the third quarter when the Kings committed six turnovers. Nash was scoreless until tossing in a short floater with 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Dudley scored 13 points and Frye had 10 to help give the Suns a 53-44 halftime lead. Both Thornton and Cousins had 11 points for Sacramento, which shot 38 percent but committed only three turnovers.

With the injured Nash in the locker room getting stitches and missing the entire second quarter, the Suns were still able to maintain its lead. The Suns' much-maligned bench combined for 12 points in the quarter when Phoenix outscored the Kings 22-20.

Notes: The Kings won't play another home again until Feb. 28. On Tuesday, they start a six-game road trip, playing exclusively Eastern Conference teams, followed by the All-Star break. ... Nash had six assists in the game's first eight minutes, helping the Suns take a 31-24 lead after one quarter. ... Cousins had 11 points in the opening quarter, but picked up three quick fouls in the second period and only played two minutes.

Notebook: Suns 98, Kings 84

Posted Sunday February 12, 2012 1:25AM

By James Ham, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The Phoenix Suns walked into Power Balance Pavilion on Saturday night and shot the Sacramento Kings out of the building, 98-84.

Jared Dudley led the way for the Suns, scoring 20 points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. Steve Nash had no trouble carving up the Kings' defense on his way to a 15-assist game.

DeMarcus Cousins scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Marcus Thornton chipped in 21 for the 10-17 Kings.

QUOTABLE: "To me, we did a great job on Cousins, except that he's such an exceptional athlete and got such quickness for his size, that he shoots and goes and get(s) it back. He's a tremendous player, he really is. I think that somewhere along the line, the guy is going to be on the All-Star team, I really do. I just think he's a load in there."
-- Suns coach Alvin Gentry on the Kings' DeMarcus Cousins.

THE STAT: The Suns moved the ball extremely well, finishing the game with 27 assist, 11 more than the Kings.

TURNING POINT: The Kings came out flat in the third quarter and the Suns never let up. At the 10:27 mark of the third quarter, Cousins brought the Kings to within seven points. The game never got that close again.

QUOTABLE II: "I've kind of learned to reinvent myself and still try to be productive. There's times, when called upon, I can do things offensively, but just whatever it takes. Tonight's assignment was to try and guard Evans and contain him and just kind of be energetic on the defensive end. You know, just figure out ways to help the team."
-- Suns' Grant Hill on his role against he Kings.

HOT: Nash scored his first two points of the night with 40 seconds left in the third quarter. That didn't stop the 38-year old guard from dishing out 15 assists in just 29 minutes and leading his team to the easy victory.

NOT: Tyreke Evans had a miserable game, scoring just four points on 1-for-9 shooting. 39-year old Hill, playing in his 17th NBA season, shut down the Kings leading scorer.

BAD MOVE: The Kings did not or could not defend the perimeter the entire game. Nash broke down the defense and found wide-open shooters all night for the Suns.

NOTABLE: J.J. Hickson picked up an assist in the third quarter. That was just his fourth assist in the Kings last 15 games.

UP NEXT: For the Suns, Monday @ Golden State, Tuesday @ Denver, Wednesday vs. Atlanta. For the Kings, Tuesday @ Chicago, Wednesday @ New York, Friday @ Detroit.

• Suns: --
• Kings: Whiteside

• Suns: Morris
• Kings: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: Power Balance Pavilion, Sacramento, CA
• Officials: #22 Bill Spooner, #61 Courtney Kirkland, #40 Leon Wood
• Attendance: 16964
• Duration: 2:15