Sacramento, USA, April 23 (agencies) - Shawn Marion scored 21 points and Jason Kidd had 18 points and 14 assists as Phoenix Suns beat the Sacramento Kings 86-83 Sunday in the opener of their playoff series.
Phoenix won the first game of a playoff series for the first time since 1997 by crippling the Kings' free-flowing offense with tough defense and deliberate, unflashy play.
Sacramento, the league's highest-scoring team and best home team, was unprepared to play the Suns' style, and the Kings lost for just the ninth time all season at Arco Arena.
Kings Predrag Stojakovic made just 5-of-17 shots for 13 points - seven below his average.
"I just had to make it hard on him,'' Marion said. "Every time he got it, I just had to get up on him. He's a shooter and you make shooters drive."
"Without him we have no chance, "Kings center Vlade Divac said. "But I'm sure he'll be back and we will as a team."
Vlade Divac scored 13 points but made just 3-of-11 shots for the Kings, who held a 54-48 rebounding edge.
Game 2 is Wednesday night in Sacramento.
