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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- For the second time this season, the
Phoenix Suns proved they can run with the uptempo Sacramento Kings.
Rodney Rogers came off the bench to score a career-high 36
points Tuesday night as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Sacramento
Kings 117-108.
|  | | Penny Hardaway beats Vlade Divac to the hoop for two of his 14 points. |
It was Phoenix's second win this season against the Kings, the
league's highest scoring team. The Suns ran past Sacramento 119-103
in a home game in mid-December.
"We knew going in it was going to be an up-and-down game, we
were prepared to play their style," Suns forward Cliff Robinson
said. "But we have the type of guys who can make that adjustment.
We can play the halfcourt game or we can play in a track meet like
it was tonight."
Phoenix shot 55 pecent in taking a 63-58 by intermission and
didn't let up much in the second half, making 45-of-87 shots (51
percent) in winning for the fourth straight time and sixth in its
last seven. Sacramento had won 11 of its previous 12 home games.
"This is a big win for us, we're really starting to get it done
the last six or eight weeks," Suns coach Scott Skiles said.
"We're moving the ball and playing real unselfish."
Rogers ignited a 15-2 run late in the second quarter when
Phoenix took the lead for good. He had three 3-point baskets, shot
14-of-19 from the field and 5-for-5 at the line. The Suns made
their first 21 free throws and finished 22-of-23.
"Obviously Rodney was huge off the bench, he's done that many
times this year," Skiles said. "We went to a smaller lineup and
Rodney produced. He made threes, he made medium jumpers, got to the
line and was strong going to the basket."
Tom Gugliotta scored 18 points and Cliff Robinson had 16 points
for the Suns. Penny Hardaway had 14 points and Jason Kidd added
eight points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
"All the things we talked about doing we didn't do," Kings
coach Rick Adelman said. "We weren't aggressive defensively
against a good offensive team."
Chris Webber led Sacramento with 27 points, nine rebounds and
six assists. Nick Anderson scored 15 points and Jason Williams
added 15 points and seven assists for the Kings, who trailed 63-58
at the half and never got the deficit below five points in the
fourth quarter.
The Suns ran the break and had good shots all game, evidenced by
their 37 assists.
"When you give away 37 assists something has gone haywire,"
Adelman said.
The shooting of Rogers and perfect free-throw shooting kept the
Suns in control through much of the fourth quarter.
Two free throws by Hardaway and a basket by Robinson put Phoenix
in front 102-96 with 3:54 remaining.
After a huge first half, Rogers continued to bother the Kings in
the third quarter. He made three 3-pointers and scored 11 points as
the Suns took a 90-86 lead into the fourth period.
In an entertaining first half, Rogers scored nine points in the
15-2 run late in the second period, helping the Suns take a
five-point lead into the break.
Rogers scored 17 first-half points, Gugliotta had 12 and Kidd
contributed seven points and nine assists.
Webber had 14 first-half points for the Kings and and Darrick
Martin scored all 11 of his points in the second quarter.
Game notes
The Suns had 24 assists in an uptempo first half. ... After
missing the previous six games, Corliss Williamson returned to Sacramento's starting lineup, getting six points in 19 minutes. ... The Phoenix bench made 14-of-20 shots in the opening half. ... The
Kings swept the Suns in three games last season.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
Sacramento Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 95
Philadelphia 93
Toronto 91
New York 70
Atlanta 103
New Jersey 86
Cleveland 92
San Antonio 81
Miami 107
LA Clippers 88
LA Lakers 88
Chicago 76
Denver 107
Minnesota 104
Milwaukee 112
Dallas 99
Houston 107
Detroit 102
Boston 101
Utah 99
Seattle 114
Washington 85
Portland 92
Golden State 83
Phoenix 117
Sacramento 108
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