Photo credit: @NBA

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Despite a late rally by the Sacramento Kings, the Phoenix Suns held on and picked up their 20th win of the season by edging the Kings 97-94 Tuesday at the Talking Stick Resort Arena.

The rare victory snapped a franchise-worst 15-game losing streak for the Suns, who possess the NBA’s worst record at 20-59. It was the Suns’ first victory overall since Feb. 28 and their first win at home since defeating Dallas on Jan. 31.

Phoenix will finish with its second-lowest single-season win total ever in the team’s 50-year history unless it wins all three remaining games. The Suns won 16 games as a 1968-69 expansion team.

Josh Jackson led the Suns with 28 points – 18 in the first half. Alex Len contributed 17 points and 15 rebounds, and Tyler Ulis added 13 points and nine assists, as Phoenix held the Kings to 37 percent shooting from the field.

Sacramento (25-54) trailed by 12 points with 4:19 remaining in the fourth quarter after the Suns led by four after three quarters, but battled back with a chance to tie the game after forcing a turnover with 7 seconds to play. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Justin Jackson both misses potential game-tying 3-pointers before time expired.

Bogdanovic topped the Kings’ scoring column with 22 points, with Jackson adding 19 points and eight rebounds, as Sacramento has lost five of its last six contests.

Notes: Kings forward Skai Labissiere did not play due to an ankle sprain, and 20-year veteran Vince Carter sustained an undetermined injury trying to defend a drive to the basket in the second quarter, but later returned.

Up Next: The Kings’ road trip continues on Friday when they travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies.