Key to Game: How Suns Can Defeat Kings

The Sacramento Kings pose a stiff challenge tonight for the Phoenix Suns.

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns have a crucial matchup ahead of them tonight. 

Phoenix comes into the game against the Sacramento Kings with a record of 31-22. The Kings coincidentally sit at 30-22 - just a half a game back. 

The stakes are extremely high beyond the record - Sacramento would clinch the postseason tiebreaker with a win tonight, as they lead the season series two games to one. 

The Dallas Mavericks also sit at the same position as Sacramento, so it's more than conceivable that Phoenix could end the night right back in the play-in tournament territory - which is something that absolutely no one involved wants to even think about at this juncture. 

This game specifically is a huge one for Phoenix, as the matchup with the Detroit Pistons tomorrow night likely will result in a win that could create separation between Phoenix's current six seed position and the play-in territory. 

The Suns need to keep Kings' star big man Domantas Sabonis off of the boards first and foremost. 

Sabonis leads the league in rebounds per game, including 3.2 offensive rebounds per game. 

Sabonis can affect the game on the offensive glass by being a great passer and being surrounded by quality shooters on the perimeter such as Keegan Murray. Second chance opportunities are a decent piece of Sacramento's offensive attack. 

Possibly even more vital is Sabonis averaging 10 defensive boards a game. The 6'10" big man has quickly become an underrated pace-pusher and has an innate ability to throw strong outlet passes - which can be beneficial to De'Aaron Fox in particular.

The Suns have an exponentially stronger chance of coming out of this game in the victory column if they do two things well- keeping Sabonis off of the glass on the offensive end and playing efficiently on the offensive end - the less missed shots, the less opportunity Sacramento has to create advantages on the fly.