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Sunday, Apr. 9 5:30pm ET
Suns complete season sweep of Kings | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Penny Hardaway has had no problem taking on the role of offensive orchestrator for the Phoenix Suns. The guard was in control again Sunday, getting 25 points -- 17 in the first half -- 12 rebounds and six assists as Phoenix beat the Sacramento Kings 102-97 to complete a season sweep. With forward Tom Gugliotta out for the season after reconstructive knee surgery and point guard Jason Kidd sidelined with a broken ankle, Hardaway has become the focal point. It's a role Hardaway held for many years in Orlando. "I'm just trying to be more aggressive," said Hardaway, who has come close to triple-double numbers in five of his last six games. "Jason handled the ball 99 percent of the time. I would rather him be in the lineup, but with him out I'm handling the ball more, being more creative and having fun." The Suns have had fun against the Kings this season, going 4-0 against Sacramento and winning by nearly 13 points per game. Sunday's margin was the tightest, but the game wasn't that close. Sacramento never got closer than four points in the second half, and Phoenix led by 13 with 3:17 remaining. "If we knew why they were so tough against us, maybe we would have beaten them one time," said Kings center Vlade Divac, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds. "Last year, we swept them. This year, it's their turn." The win kept the Suns a half-game ahead of San Antonio -- which beat Vancouver 107-99 Sunday -- for the fourth position in the Western Conference playoff picture. The fourth-seeded team will have home "Every game is important from here on out," Suns forward Cliff Robinson said. "In a five-game series it's so important to have that fifth and deciding game at home if it comes down to that." Phoenix, which ended a two-game losing slide and improved to 6-4 without Kidd, used a 25-15 second quarter to take the lead for good. Robinson scored 20 points, and Rodney Rogers 16 for the Suns, who shot 50 percent from the field. Shawn Marion added 12 points and Corie Blount 11. "We had the lead and they would make a charge and we would hold them off," Suns coach Scott Skiles said. "We've done a lot of that lately." Jason Williams had 24 points for the Kings, who have lost three of four and saw their lead over eighth-place Seattle dip to one game. After missing three straight games with a strained left calf, Chris Webber returned to the Sacramento lineup with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Predrag Stojakovic added 15 points, and Corliss Williamson had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Kings, who shot 38 percent. "It was a tough game and we never really seemed to get anything going on the offensive end all day," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. "They are a very hard team. They move the ball well, they pass the ball well and they shoot the ball well." After the Kings cut the lead to 87-83, Rogers made a 3-pointer and Kevin Johnson stole the ball for a layup, putting the Suns ahead 92-83 with 5:52 remaining. Johnson finished with only three points, but had nine assists. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Phoenix Clubhouse Sacramento Clubhouse RECAPS Orlando 92 Philadelphia 80
Phoenix 102
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