Jeff Hornacek has described the Phoenix Suns' narrow defeat to the Sacramento Kings as the worst of their recent run.

The Suns have lost their last three games by three points or fewer, leaving them 10th in the Western Conference.

The head coach told reporters: "That one was the worst of all of them. We're playing tentative with the game on the line. Give [Sacramento] credit. They stuck in there and we gave them a couple easy ones.

"They took the game from us. Once you give a team some momentum offensively they become hard to stop. We were playing not to lose."

The Suns have a chance to beat the Kings again tonight as they host Sacramento.