Phoenix Suns vs Sacramento Kings Box Score on Mar 24, 2023

Domantas Sabonis finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, Kevin Huerter scored a team-high 29 points, and the Sacramento Kings weathered 62 combined points from Devin Booker and Terrence Ross to knock off the visiting Phoenix Suns 135-127 on Friday.

Sacramento (44-29) withstood a 57.1 percent shooting first half from the floor for Phoenix (38-35), as the Suns built a lead of as many as 14 points before intermission.

A 23-9 run in the first 5:59 out of the locker room quickly flipped the game in the Kings' favor. Huerter's 3-pointer broke a 76-76 tie and gave Sacramento a lead it never relinquished the rest of the way.

The Kings held the Suns to just 8-of-20 shooting from the floor in the third quarter, compared to Sacramento's own 15-of-26 clip. The advantage extended into the fourth quarter, as the Kings pulled ahead by as many as 13 points.

The Suns, who came into Friday's contest looking to avoid a three-game skid, battled back in the final period led by Booker, who finished with 32 points. He shot 5-of-6 from the floor and scored 14 points in the fourth, and the Suns cut the deficit to as few as four points.

However, Harrison Barnes scored six straight points in the final minute -- part of his 23 points overall -- to ice the win for Sacramento. The win prevented a three-game skid for the Kings, and extended their lead over Phoenix for third place in the Western Conference to six games.

The Suns slid to fifth, a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers, who were off on Friday.

Ross' 30 points in the loss marked a season high. He shot 6 of 10 from 3-point range off the bench, but the Suns went just 9 of 29 from deep as a team. Sacramento shot 13 of 39 from beyond the arc, led by Huerter's 6 of 12.

Phoenix continued to play without Kevin Durant, who sustained an ankle injury before his would-be home debut as a Sun on March 8. Deandre Ayton also missed his third straight game with a hip injury.

--Field Level Media