Others step up when Nash is down

Four points and four stitches for Steve Nash usually add up to a long night for the Phoenix Suns. But Phoenix had a lot of other components of their game working well -- good defense, a strong effort from the bench and a double-double night from Jared Dudley -- and had enough to overcome Nash's maladies and poor shooting.

The Kings might be 10-18, but they had won seven of 11 at home this season and had beaten the Suns three straight times dating back to last season. But Grant Hill put the defensive handcuffs on Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, rookie Markieff Morris gave Phoenix an 18-point lift off the bench and the Kings missed 10 shots in a row in the fourth quarter to help seal their fate.

"He's a great player," Hill said of Evans, who has had big games against Phoenix in the past. "I tried to use my size and length against him, and make him take tough shots. I'm sure the next time we play them it might be different."

Bouncing back from a disappointing loss in a winnable home game Thursday against Houston, the Suns have now won four of their last five games after an 8-14 start and defense is at the forefront of the mini-run.

Nash had a tough 2-for-7 shooting night and spent the second quarter getting a four-stitch cut sewn up. But with their leader gone, the Phoenix bench extended the lead to double digits by intermission. From there, the Suns know what to do; they are now 10-1 when leading at halftime this season.

Phoenix finishes off this three-game trip with a back-to-back beginning Monday against Golden State before spending Valentine's Day in Denver. Two more wins would put the Suns a game below .500 with more than half the season remaining. And while they don't look like a playoff team quite yet, they would be within shouting distance of the postseason chase.

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