These days in Sacramento, the major talk isn’t so much about the Kings and how they are enjoying a three-game winning streak prior to their game against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night at Power Balance Pavilion.
The conversation has been more along the lines of the inevitable move from California’s state capitol to presumably Anaheim.
Nevertheless, Sacramento has played some inspired basketball this past week, which could provide some much-needed momentum going into the 2011-12 season.
Interestingly enough, it is a player who came from the New Orleans Hornets who has the lightning rod of the team’s recent success. The player in question? Marcus Thornton.
Thornton would prove to be instrumental once again as he scored 24 points, helping Sacramento extend their winning streak to four and beat Phoenix 116-113.
The first half was vintage run-and-gun basketball as the Suns outscored the Kings by four in the first quarter while Sacramento outscored Phoenix 29-27 in the second. The Suns would take a 61-59 edge into their locker room at the intermission.
With Phoenix ahead by 10 early in the fourth quarter, a 14-4 Kings run tied the game, with the remainder of the period being a back-and-forth affair.
But Sacramento would score seven straight points as after Phoenix’s Jared Dudley put the Suns ahead 111-110 on a jumper, the Kings would retake the lead on a Thornton 3-pointer for a two-point lead with just under a minute to play.
Tyreke Evans added a pair of free throws to put Sacramento ahead for good 114-110 and Thornton would convert two free throws late to seal the victory.
Six Kings players scored in double-digits, led by Thornton with a game-high 24 points (including three 3-pointers), along with 11 rebounds and 2 assists while Beno Udrih added 19 with 2 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal. Donte Greene came off the bench to chip in 18 (including four treys) with a rebound, an assist and a block while DeMarcus Cousins poured in 17 with 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and a block. Jason Thompson and Evans each notched double-doubles, with Thompson scoring 14 with 10 rebounds while Evans pitched in 11 with 10 boards and 8 assists.
Six Suns players also scored in double-digits, led by the duo of Dudley and Channing Frye with 21 apoints apiece – with Dudley grabbing 5 rebounds, dishing out 2 assists, along with 5 steals and a block while Frye grabbed 9 boards, dished out an assist, along with a steal and 2 blocks. Marcin Gortat scored 17 with 11 rebounds, an assist, a steal and 2 blocks while Grant Hill chipped in 15 with a rebound, 4 assists and 2 steals. Steve Nash notched a double-double, scoring 13 with 14 assists.
Both teams return to action on Wednesday, when Sacramento (21-52) flies east to Denver to take on the Nuggets while Phoenix (36-37), losers of three straight, returns home to host the Oklahoma City Thunder.


March 30th, 2011
Stephen Rhodes
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