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Gay expected to play when Kings take on Suns

Dec 13, 2013 - 3:23 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Phoenix Suns will carry their winning streak into Friday's opener of a three-game homestand versus the Sacramento Kings.

The Suns have won a season-high three in a row and seven of 10 games, and will also host Golden State and San Antonio in the desert. They are 6-3 at US Airways Center this season and recorded a 114-108 road victory against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday at Staples Center.

Goran Dragic led Phoenix with 31 points and Marcus Morris netted 22 off the bench in the win. Eric Bledsoe ended with 18 points and handed out nine assists for the Suns, who made 51.8 percent of their shots. Markieff Morris had 15 points and seven rebounds, while Channing Frye scored 11 points.

"We just continued to play our game and not slow down," Marcus Morris said of holding off the Lakers down the stretch.

The Lakers trailed by as many as 14 in the third quarter, but Kobe Bryant and Jordan Hill netted four points apiece during an 11-2 run to close the gap to 73-72 late in the third.

Los Angeles, though, never got any closer.

Phoenix is seeking its first four-game winning streak since last Dec. 12-19.

Sacramento hopes to get back on the winning track when it takes on the Suns Friday night. The Kings had a two-game winning streak stopped in Wednesday's 122-101 loss versus the Utah Jazz and lost for the seventh time in nine tries.

DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Isaiah Thomas posted 20 points and both Derrick Williams and Jimmer Fredette scored 13 for the Kings.

"I honestly don't know the reason, but it was pretty bad," Cousins admitted. "They jumped out on us early."

Cousins has scored 20 or more points in seven of his last eight games.

The Kings were once again without Rudy Gay, Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray. The trio was acquired in a trade earlier in the week from Toronto but did not pass physicals in time to play in Wednesday's contest. All three should be available on Friday. Gay scored in double-figures in 17 of the 18 games this season for the Raptors.

Sacramento will play five of the next six games on the road and is 2-4 as the guest this season. It has played only six road games this season, the least road games played so far in the NBA.

The Suns have lost the first two meetings with the Kings this season and four straight overall in this series. The Kings, though, have lost 12 of the last 15 contests in the Valley of the Sun.