PHOENIX -- One week after being blown out at home by the Dallas Mavericks on opening night, the Phoenix Suns feel more like the team they expected to be this season.

Making a few 3-point shots always helps.

Guard Brandon Knight atoned for a scoreless first half by scoring 17 second-half points, and the Suns made 14 of 23 3-point attempts to run away from the Sacramento Kings 118-97 Wednesday.

The Suns came into the game shooting 28 percent as a team from 3-point range, but Knight and forward P.J. Tucker hit three each, and eight Suns had at least one.

"We kind of threw that Dallas game under the rug, and since then, to be 3-1 in the last four, that's more of who we are," said Tucker, who scored 10 points. "It's good to see those shots falling like they always do in practice. We still can be a lot better, but we have a good team. You can see the progress coming."

Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe poured in 10 of his team-high 19 points in the first quarter, and center Alex Len added 16 points and seven rebounds.

Knight then led the charge during a 32-point third quarter in which the Suns took control and led by as many as 21 points.

"I didn't make shots in the first half (0-for-4), but I stayed in the game, continued to play hard and do other things to help," said Knight, who scored 12 points in the third quarter. "I wanted to try to continue to be aggressive in the third, and if we can shoot the three like that along with running the floor and getting easy ones, we'll be a very good offensive team."

Phoenix went on a 17-5 run midway through the fourth, with Len scoring the last seven to make it 105-84 with 4:46 left.

Forward Kosta Koufas had 16 points, and forward James Anderson and guard Marco Belinelli had 15 each for the Kings. Sacramento (1-4) lost for the second time in as many nights without center DeMarcus Cousins, out with an Achilles tendon injury.

"When you've got a hole without (Cousins) and are trying to learn your new personality early in a season against a really good team, you've got to stay the course and stay together and figure out little pieces here and there against a tough schedule," Sacramento coach George Karl said.

Cousins led the Kings to three wins in four meetings against the Suns last year, averaging 25.7 points and 13.6 rebounds.

"He's one of the best players in the league, not just centers," Tucker said of Cousins. "When he's out, they're going to be a different team. But with him, they will be a tough team to beat."

The Suns shot 40 percent from the field over their first four games but had a good shooting start Wednesday. Phoenix made 12 of 22 shots from the field in the first quarter, and Bledsoe was very active with three assists and three steals to go with his 10 points.

"I just tried to come out aggressive, get everyone involved, including myself, and try to set the tempo from the jump," Bledsoe said. "We've got a deep team and everyone brings something. We just have to stay the course and play together."

Trailing by nine at the half, the Kings went on a 15-6 run to open the third quarter, with guard Darren Collison following an Anderson 3-pointer with a fastbreak finish to tie the game at 55.

The Suns answered with a 9-2 run featuring two 3-pointers by guard Ronnie Price and a T.J. Warren fastbreak layup.

"We made a run but they came out of a timeout, made some shots and we got stuck (defensively)," Rondo said. "We have to get it right. We don't have a choice. We have to continue to fight and trust one another and the system to get some wins."

NOTES: The Suns didn't mind seeing Kings C DeMarcus Cousins out of the lineup. "He causes all kinds of trouble inside," Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek said. ... How much has the addition of C Tyson Chandler helped the Suns? In the first four games of the season, Phoenix collected 211 rebounds (52.8 per game), which ranked third in the league. It was the first time in franchise history the Suns grabbed at least 48 rebound in each of the first four games. The Suns outrebounded the Kings 41-33. ... Last year, the Kings were 6-17 in the 23 games Cousins missed. ... Sacramento coach George Karl on Suns G Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, who entered the night averaging 18 points and five assists a game: "I love their point guards. I like playing two point guards. It's a nice young team."