The Phoenix Suns tightened their grip on a Western Conference playoff spot Tuesday night with a 114-103 win over the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
Phoenix improved to 35-26, good for seventh in the West, and secured a four-game season sweep of the conference’s last-place club.
Jalen Green led the visitors with 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting, while Grayson Allen added 18 points and six assists off the bench. The Suns shot 46% from the field and knocked down 19 of 49 attempts from beyond the arc.
Devin Booker returned after missing four games with a right hip injury and scored 17 points in 31 minutes. Fourteen of those came in the first half, helping the Suns take a 59-55 lead into the break.
Collin Gillespie delivered one of his most efficient outings of the season, finishing with 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds. He connected on 5 of 8 from three-point range and posted a team-best +15 rating among starters.
Oso Ighodaro provided interior balance with 14 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes. He collected eight offensive boards and recorded a +21 differential, stabilizing the paint while Phoenix played without Dillon Brooks, who remains sidelined with a fractured left hand.
The turning point came midway through the third quarter. Trailing 63-62, the Suns responded with a 14-0 run to seize control.
Royce O’Neale capped the surge with back-to-back three-pointers, stretching the margin to 76-63 and forcing Sacramento to play from behind the rest of the way.
The Kings fell to 14-49, the worst record in the NBA, and dropped the opener of a five-game homestand. Sacramento shot 46% overall but struggled from distance, hitting just 7 of 27 from three-point range.
Maxime Raynaud paced the home side with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting and added 10 rebounds. Precious Achiuwa contributed 18 points and nine boards, while DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook scored 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Sacramento played without forward Keegan Murray, who missed his third straight contest due to a sprained left ankle.
Phoenix’s ball movement and spacing proved decisive. The Suns recorded 31 assists on 42 made field goals and forced 14 turnovers, converting timely stops into transition opportunities.
With two straight wins, the Valley franchise remains within striking distance of the sixth seed and automatic playoff qualification.
Up next, Phoenix hosts Chicago on Thursday, while Sacramento continues its homestand against New Orleans.
