The Phoenix Suns playoff hopes are getting slimmer as they continue to fadein the Western Conference.

The Sacramento Kings will miss out on the postseason for the fifth year in arow, but find themselves in the midst of a season-best winning streak.

Phoenix hopes to avoid a fourth loss in five games while host Sacramentotries for a fourth consecutive win overall and third straight in the series whenthe teams meet Tuesday night.

The Suns postseason chances took a major hit Sunday as they fell for theseventh time in 10 games, losing 91-83 to Dallas.

That defeat, along with a Memphis victory, dropped 10th-place Phoenix(36-36) four games back of the Grizzlies for the eighth and final playoff spotin the West.

The Suns, who rank fourth in the league with 105.0 points per game, havescored 100 or fewer in six of their last 10 games, losing all six and falling to5-21 in such situations this season.

averaging 15.5 points, continues to play at less than 100percent and has scored a total of nine points on 4-of-20 shooting in his lasttwo contests.

I am having a hard time getting the ball in the basket right now. It hasbeen a tough year, said Nash, averaging 23.3 points and 14.6 assists in threemeetings with the Kings in 2010-11. We are facing some pains right now becauseof the mountain we had to climb all year. I think we have to play with class anddignity and go on fighting every night.

Center - averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds in his lastsix games - and swingman started in place of and on Sunday. Gortat and Dudley combined for 40 points and 20 rebounds.

Despite Nashs impressive numbers against Sacramento (20-52), Phoenix haslost back-to-back games to the Kings, partly due to getting outrebounded by anaverage of 21.5. The Suns had taken 17 of the previous 19 matchups in theseries.

After winning four of their previous 22 games overall, the Kings went 4-1 ontheir recently completed road trip - including Sundays 114-111 overtime winover Philadelphia, their third consecutive victory.

We know our record is not very good. We always felt we had a good team,coach Paul Westphal told NBA.com. Were learning. Were becoming a gooddefensive team and were sorting things out.

Guard averaging 22.0 points since joining Sacramento fromNew Orleans prior to the trade deadline, scored 32 on Sunday and was one ofseven Kings to reach double figures.

Sacramento trailed by as many as 12 points but outrebounded the 76ers by 22and recorded its first OT win in six tries.

Our team has a tendency to hang our heads and not bounce back from thosekinds of things, Westphal said. We havent been a good closing team for mostof the year, but lately, weve improved in that area, too.

Center had his third straight double-double with 13 pointsand a season-best 19 rebounds. scored 10 points off the bench inhis second game back since missing 19 with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Thornton averaged 20.5 points - 7.3 more than his career mark - in his lastfour games against the Suns while with the Hornets. He had 10 points and 10rebounds Jan. 30 at Phoenix for his only career double-double.