Kings 113 - 108 Suns
Final
  for this game

Streaking Suns kick off homestand vs. Kings

Feb 13, 2011 - 3:48 PM (Sports Network) - The Phoenix Suns will kick off a four-game homestand by hosting Pacific Division rival Sacramento on Sunday.

The Suns won their third straight contest to climb above the .500 mark on the season (26-25) Friday in Salt Lake City when Steve Nash recorded 18 points and 10 assists and Hakim Warrick scored 16 off the bench as Phoenix overcame a 15- point deficit for a 95-83 over the Jazz in Utah's first game since long-time coach Jerry Sloan resigned.

Sloan stepped down Thursday in the middle of his 23rd season with the Jazz, saying during an emotional press conference that it was time to leave the team he had coached since early in the 1988-89 season. He was replaced by assistant Tyrone Corbin.

Robin Lopez added 14 points for Phoenix and Marcin Gortat had 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench as the Suns won for the sixth time in seven games and moved above .500 for the first time since they were 11-10 on Dec. 7.

Phoenix is now 11-4 since Jan. 12 -- the NBA's second-best record during that time, behind only the Spurs.

The Kings, meanwhile, lost another heartbreaker on Saturday when Kevin Durant scored 35 points and the Thunder overcame his two missed free throws in the final seconds to hold off Sacramento, 99-97, at Arco Arena.

Tyreke Evans had 30 points and nine rebounds for the Kings, who dropped their fifth in a row. Four of those losses have come by five points or fewer. Sacramento is 7-14 this season in games decided that margin.

DeMarcus Cousins had 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Casspi also scored 14 to go with nine boards for the Kings, who finished 1-5 on a six-game homestand and will now be embarking on a seven-game road trip.

"We're close to being able to beat these good teams," said Kings head coach Paul Westphal. "We haven't broken through, obviously, enough to not have to come in here and talk about how close we were."

Sacramento snapped a six-game skid to the Suns with a 94-89 win in California's capital back on Jan. 2.






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