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Suns aiming for season sweep of Kings

Mar 25, 2007 - 2:58 PM Phoenix (52-16) at Sacramento (29-40) 3:30 pm EDT

SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) -- Steve Nash is playing like his usual MVP self, and Amare Stoudemire is coming off his first career 30-point, 20-rebound game as the Phoenix Suns continue to make a mockery of their competition.

Winners of 13 of their last 16, the Suns are aiming for a season sweep as they visit the Sacramento Kings, the team Stoudemire abused for 33 points and 21 rebounds in a 118-100 win on March 22 in Phoenix.

In that game, Nash had 17 points and 16 assists, as the Suns improved their home record to 28-7, second best in the league behind Nash's former team the Dallas Mavericks (31-4).

The Kings have lost three in a row, and eight of their last nine. However, they welcome back one of the league's premier defenders in Ron Artest, who was noticeably absent as Stoudemire scored at will inside in the previous meeting.

Artest was dismissed by the Kings after he was arrested on March 5 on assault charges. He was scheduled to return for the meeting in Phoenix but his flight was delayed due to a rare thunderstorm in the area.

Sacramento will need Artest to slow Stoudemire, who has averaged 23 points in three games against the Kings this year, if they are going to snap their three-game losing streak.