Reporting from Phoenix...
FIRST QUARTER (Suns 35, Kings 26)
Imagine if the Suns had shot well...
Phoenix hit just 9 of 23 in the opening period yet dropped 35 on the Kings, who had some success by switching everything defensively (just as New York did in its win over Phoenix two games ago) but simply didn't capitalize on early opportunities or play a sharp enough game to this point.
It wasn't just six turnovers, but missed putbacks (most from Spencer Hawes, who has hit just 1 of 5) and tentative decisions that so often come on the road when you're a young team. Tyreke Evans had seven quick points and hit his first three shots. Jason Thompson has eight points and is playing very confidently and competently against Amare Stoudemire (three points, seven rebounds) offensively. The Kings hit just 10 of 24 shots in the period.
SECOND QUARTER (Suns 60, Kings 55)
Limiting turnovers, Sergio Rodriguez and the unflappable Kenny Thomas helped the Kings get back in this game.
They used a 12-2 run to pull ahead 51-50 with 2:53 remaining, when Andres Nocioni's three followed one from Rodriguez and one from Donte' Greene before to put them ahead. Thomas added a dose of physicality to help deal with Stoudemire (11 points, 13 rebounds) and Channing Frye (14 points), grabbing all 12 of his rebounds in the second quarter.
Similarly, Rodriguez had all eight of his points and three assists in the second quarter. Still, the Kings could - perhaps should - be ahead in this one. They had a couple unacceptable moments late in the second. First, it was good Greene reverting to bad Greene when he fired away on a contested three with Nocioni open to his right. Just one play, but a rhythm breaker when this team has been making the right play so often.
Last and certainly least was Omri Casspi's airballed three with seven seconds left in the half. Kings coach Paul Westphal had logically asked for the last shot, but Casspi's misfire was way too early and led to a Jason Richardson runner and a 4-0 Suns finish to the half. Evans has 12 points on five of six shooting, while Hawes is a brutal 2 of 10 from the field.
THIRD QUARTER (Kings 83, Suns 82)
Thomas is continuing his revival party in a big way, grabbing six more boards in the third to give him 18 for the game. He's doing a phenomenal job on Stoudemire, too, as the forward has just three points since the first quarter. The Kings have just four turnovers since the first quarter and have managed to pull ahead. Pardon the lack of detail for this period, but the eyes need to be on the court a bit more.
FOURTH QUARTER (Suns 115, Kings 107)
After trailing by just one with a little more than six minutes left, the Suns showed that they are still the Suns. They buried five threes in the final stretch, with Channing Frye's starting the run and seemingly every late break going the home team's way. A 12-4 Phoenix run put them up 107-98 with 2:50 left after a Grant Hill jumper. Evans and Andres Nocioni combined for 41 points, while Steve Nash had 10 of his 32 points in the final period.
- Sam Amick
