SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Coach Rick Adelman had little to do in

the fourth quarter while the Sacramento Kings put the final touches

on a shockingly one-sided win over first-place Phoenix.

Adelman did all his best work last week, when he finally

convinced his players to play the intense defense that led to a

blowout of the high-scoring Suns.

Kevin Martin scored a career-high 25 points, rookie Francisco

Garcia added career-bests of 21 points and 10 rebounds, and the

injury-depleted Kings improbably handed the Suns their biggest loss

of the season, 119-90 on Tuesday night.

Kenny Thomas had 22 points and 15 rebounds, and Mike Bibby added

19 before sitting out the final 10½ minutes of the Kings' most

encouraging win in weeks. Brad Miller had 18 points, 12 rebounds

and nine assists for the Kings, who hit a season-high 12 3-pointers

and passed superbly without injured starters Peja Stojakovic,

Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bonzi Wells.

For all his team's offensive pyrotechnics, Adelman was most

pleased by its canny, lapse-free defense against the NBA's

highest-scoring team, which never got comfortable in its inventive

offense.

During last week's road trip, Adelman distributed DVD

anthologies of his players' defensive miscues this season -- and

they're clearly learning their digital lessons.

"(The Kings) were ready to play, they were active, they moved

the ball," Adelman said. "But more importantly, we really

followed our game plan defensively. ... You hope it's going to be a

learning experience for these guys so they can understand that they

can win and they can beat good teams. I'm hoping that's going to be

a really good jump-start."

Though the Suns are the Pacific Division's new power, the Kings

still showed some pride in their disappointing season: The Suns

were beaten for the 10th time in their last 11 visits to

Sacramento.

Shawn Marion scored 25 points and Raja Bell added 19 for the

Suns, who fell behind by 24 points in a dismal first half and

eventually lost in regulation for the first time since Dec. 23

while making just 37.5 percent of their shots -- matching their

worst percentage of the season.

"We came out on our heels, and they just stuck it to us,"

Marion said. "They had their eyes wide open and kept on hitting

shots. There is only so much you can do when a team heats up like

that."

Phoenix won nine of its last 11 to take over first place, but

had none of its usual offensive effectiveness against the Kings.

Reigning MVP Steve Nash managed just seven points on 2-of-8

shooting and eight assists for the Suns, who hadn't lost by more

than 12 points all season.

"We didn't want to play tonight," Nash said. "You can't

really say why. You never know. It just sometimes happens when you

play as many games as we do. We didn't play any defense, which got

their confidence going, and it turned out to be one of those nights

when we couldn't make anything."

Martin, a second-year shooting guard, increased his career high

for the fifth time already this season with four 3-pointers and two

impressive alley-oop dunks on passes from Bibby and Miller. Garcia

was just as impressive, hitting two 3s and playing strong defense

against Nash.

"We're learning from our mistakes," Garcia said. "(The

coaches) got on us pretty hard on our mistakes. They're getting

tired of ... seeing us make the same mistakes."

With retired center Vlade Divac watching from courtside, the

Kings rolled off an 18-4 run in the final 3:02 of the first

quarter. Bibby, who scored a career-best 42 points in Sunday's win

over Orlando, hit two 3s in an uptempo offense more effective than

the Suns' scheme.

Sacramento methodically increased its lead in the second while

the Suns went more than 6 minutes between field goals.

"It was a lot of fun," Miller said. "To win really lifts our

spirits against a team like Phoenix. Holding Phoenix to 90 points

is pretty tough to do., and it just really fueled everybody."

The Kings led 65-43 after probably their best first half of the

year, earning a standing ovation from the sellout crowd that has

booed them regularly this season. Sacramento made nearly 58 percent

of its shots and hit six 3-pointers while soundly beating the Suns

on the boards and in transition with a dazzling display.

Sacramento took its first 30-point lead on Thomas' dunk to open

the fourth quarter, then coasted to its third victory in four

games.

Nash scored fewer than 10 points for just the third time this

season, sitting out the final 14:38. Kurt Thomas played 24 minutes,

but went scoreless for just the second time all year.Game notes
Adelman is cautiously hopeful all three injured starters

will be in practice Wednesday, though they might not be ready to

get back in uniform. ... Suns G Eddie House, who scored seven

points, spent last season with the Kings and Bibby, his

brother-in-law. ... Divac, who spent six seasons with the Kings,

got a lengthy standing ovation.