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First-half blitz helps Suns scorch Kings

Nov 22, 2007 - 6:18 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- One day after playing a nailbiter at Arco Arena, the Phoenix Suns decided to end this game against the Sacramento Kings early.

Shawn Marion and Steve Nash scored 25 of their team's 47 first-quarter points to propel the Suns to a 127-111 rout of the Kings on Wednesday night.

The Suns, who swept the home-and-home series between the teams with a 100-98 win over the Kings on Tuesday, left no doubt who the better team was on this night.

"It wasn't bad tonight, our defense could have been better," Nash said. "It was a tough finish last night and getting in late. We weren't great defensively, but our offense was great. So, we will take the wins, and we really only had one bad quarter out of eight, (so) it wasn't bad."

Marion, who finished with a season-high 25 points, scored 13 in the opening period, while Nash, who posted 18 points and 15 assists, had 12 and six as the Suns built a 47-38 lead.

The charge continued into the second quarter as Grant Hill and Brian Skinner scored all the points during a 15-5 run that increased Phoenix's advantage to 62-43 at the 6:39 mark of the second period.

The Kings battled back to within eight points with 1:31 left in the half, but the Suns pushed the lead back out to 80-63 heading into intermission.

The 47 points after the first quarter and 80 at the end of two periods were both season-best NBA marks.

"Obviously, the first half was pretty good," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "The first quarter was unbelievable, the way we shot and moved the ball, (it was) a little bit like the Houston game. We kind of did our thing and took care of business. (We were) able to rest guys, (so) overall, pretty good."

The lead grew to as many as 30 when Marion hit a pair of free throws near the end of the third period.

Each Suns' starter finished in double digits after just three quarters, as the entire Phoenix starting lineup did not play in the final quarter with the club safely ahead 110-82 heading into the final 12 minutes.

"We came out of the gates early, we got it going offensively pretty well," Marion said. "Defense, sometimes, when you play as fast as we (do), the defense kind of fluctuates a little bit. We made shots when we needed to, increased our lead, little by little. Next thing you know, we were sitting on the bench the whole fourth quarter."

Francisco Garcia led Sacramento with a career-high 31 points and John Salmons had 21.

"I'm not really worried about it, I like to win," Garcia said. "I really don't care about the 31 points or whatever I did, it's what the team did. We lost tonight, we have to go back, talk about it and do things better next time."

Kings forward Ron Artest (personal reasons) did not travel with the team after Tuesday's game. He may re-join the team in time for Friday's contest at Portland.

"Ron anchors our team, Ron is able to slow the other team down because he's going to get fouled," Theus said. "He gets respect from the referees and you have a go-to guy down in the post.

"It made a big difference in the morale of the team (not having Beno Udrih) and Ron Artest. (The Suns) came out and hit the first five or six shots in a row - from distance - and that got them off to a good start, and that was about it."