LOS ANGELES, 16 December 2003 — After trailing through three-quarters, the Sacramento Kings realized defense was their best offense.
Peja Stojakovic matched a season high with 36 points and the Kings clamped down in the fourth quarter to hand the slumping Phoenix Suns their sixth straight loss, 107-102, on Sunday night.
“Defense won it for us,” Stojakovic said. “We came out with a lot more energy on the defensive end in the fourth quarter. We realized we couldn’t win with our offense alone. Everything comes from the defensive end. If you got good defense, you got good offense too.” Brad Miller added 17 points for Sacramento, which won its fourth in a row and improved to 13-1 at home. Doug Christie, 14, while reserve Bobby Jackson finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Kings overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit by limiting the Suns to 4-of-22 shooting en route to outscoring them, 28-10 in the fourth quarter for the come-from-behind victory.
“The fourth quarter is the time to turn it on,” said Kings reserve guard Anthony Peeler. “We were able to do that.”
Shawn Marion had 32 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix, (8-16), which fell to 0-3 under interim coach Mike D’Antoni. Stephon Marbury added 22 points and Joe Johnson finished with 19.
“We played 40 minutes tonight,” Marbury said. “We’re getting better, but it’s not exactly where we want to be.”
The Kings trailed 92-79 heading into the fourth quarter but opened on a 19-4 surge to go ahead 98-96 on Christie’s layup midway through the fourth quarter.
Knotted at 98-apiece, Stojakovic hit a short baseline jumper and a runner, putting the Kings ahead for good, 102-98, with 2:46 remaining. After Marbury’s two free throws pulled the Suns within two, Miller missed a short runner but Peeler tipped it in with 25 ticks left.
Miller followed with two free throws to wrap up the Kings’ seventh straight home victory over the Suns.
SuperSonics 108 Milwaukee Bucks 102
Ronald “Flip” Murray scored 23 points while rookie Richie Frahm added a career-high 17, rallying the Sonics from an 18-point first-half deficit over the visiting Bucks. Vladimir Radmanovic also had 17 points for Seattle, which won despite losing its leading scorer Rashard Lewis to a strained left shoulder in the third quarter.
Michael Redd tossed in 27 points and Tim Thomas added 19 points after missing nine games with a left ankle sprain as Milwaukee’s modest two-game winning streak ended. T.J. Ford collected 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
Miami Heat 90 Toronto Raptors 89
Rookie Dwyane Wade scored 23 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 28 seconds left as the Heat extended their winning streak to three.
Brian Grant added 19 points and 13 rebounds while Lamar Odom had 17 points and 16 rebounds as Miami, (8-15), improved to just 2-11 on the road. Donyell Marshall scored 25 points for the Raptors, who have lost two in a row following five straight victories. Vince Carter, slowed by a sore Achilles’ heel, had just 12 points, missing nine of 12 shots, including a potential game-winning jumper with six seconds left.
Utah Jazz 94 Philadelphia 76ers 86
Andrei Kirilenko scored 30 points and Matt Harpring added 27 as the visiting Jazz took advantage of the absence of Allen Iverson to beat the short-handed 76ers.
Kenny Thomas led Philadelphia with 16 points. Iverson, the NBA’s leading scorer at 28.9 points per game, missed his second game in the last three due to right knee swelling. Carlos Arroyo added 15 points for Utah, which improved to 13-10 but just 2-9 on the road.
Knicks 89 Wizards 87
Allan Houston matched his season high with 39 points, and Kurt Thomas drew a key charging foul with 15.6 seconds left, to help the Knicks edge the visiting Wizards for their second straight victory.
Bulls Bring Back Brunson in Deal With Raptors
The Chicago Bulls re-acquired Rick Brunson from the Toronto Raptors for Roger Mason yesterday in an exchange of National Basketball Association guards.
The deal, to be completed after both pass physicals, is the second between the Eastern Conference division rivals.
Two weeks ago the Bulls traded Jalen Rose, Donyell Marshall and Lonny Baxter to Toronto for Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams and Chris Jefferies.
Brunson averaged 2.5 points, 1.8 assists and 1.0 rebounds over 193 games in seven years in the NBA. This season, he is averaging 1.3 points per game in three appearances for the Raptors. Last season in his first stint with the Bulls, Brunson averaged 3.5 points, 2.1 assists and 1.1 rebounds in 17 games.
