Suns hold off Kings, set up NBA Cup showdown with Thunder

SACRAMENTO – The Phoenix Suns withstood several second-half surges to stay perfect in NBA Cup West Group A play, topping the Sacramento Kings, 112-100, on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at Golden 1 Center.

Improving to 3-0 in NBA Cup group play, Phoenix (11-7) will face defending NBA champion Oklahoma City (18-1) Nov. 28 in OKC for the top spot in West Group A.

The Thunder are 3-0 in West Group A play after defeating Minnesota, 113-105, Nov. 26 at home.

If the Suns beat Thunder, they’ll win West Group A and host NBA Cup quarterfinal game in Phoenix.

If Phoenix falls to OKC, it can still clinch wild card spot in West if it has a higher point differential than Friday’s Memphis Grizzlies-L.A. Clippers winner.

Point differentials going into Friday: Suns (+35), Grizzlies (+14) and Clippers (-9).

Mark Williams and Collin Gillespie paced Phoenix with 21 points each, Devin Booker chipped in 19, Dillon Brooks contributed 13 and two-way player Jamaree Bouyea added 11 off the bench.

The Suns led by as many as 25 points in the first half. The Kings (5-14) pulled within eight points in the third quarter and fourth quarter, but Phoenix answered their latest surge with an 8-0 run to take a 102-86 lead with 5:53 left in the game.

Phoenix is 2-0 agianst Sacramento this season. The Suns rallied from 20 points down to top the Kings, 120-116, last month in the season opener for both teams.

Keegan Murray and Russell Westbrook paced the Kings with 19 points each Wednesday.

The Suns still were without Grayson Allen (right quad contusion), Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and Ryan Dunn (right wrist sprain). .

The Kings were down Domantas Sabonis (right knee partial meniscus tear) and Dennis Schroder (right hip soreness).

Suns erupt early, build big halftime lead

The Phoenix Suns led by as many as 25 points in the first half and held a 67-45 halftime lead.

Collin Gillespie scored 14 points in the first half in his first start of the season with 11 points coming in the first quarter.

Phoenix led, 41-16, after one. The Suns shot 53.8% from the field in the first quarter, going 6-of-14 on 3s while the Kings went 1-of-7 from distance in shooting 35.3%.

Gillespie entered the game averaging a career-high 11.6 points.

Devin Booker has delivered a game-high 15 points while Dillon Brooks chipped in 13.

The Suns scored 17 points off 10 Sacramento turnovers in the first half.

Gillespie gets start for Suns

Collin Gillespie got his first start of the season as Jalen Green, Grayson Allen and Ryan Dunn remain out with injuries.

This will be Phoenix’s 11^th different starting lineup.

The Suns (11-7) are starting Gillespie, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Royce O’Neale and Mark Williams.

The Kings (5-13) have Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray and Drew Eubanks in their starting lineup.

Eubanks played one season for the Suns in 2023-24.

Gillespie is averaging career highs in points per game at 11.6, minutes at 25.5, assists at 4.9 and rebounds at 4.1.

The 6-foot-1-inch guard hit a game-winner with 6.7 seconds in lifting Phoenix to a 114-113 victory Nov. 21 over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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