If you're a struggling NBA team that's lost seven straight games, it's a nice thing when the NFL team in town has lost nine in a row. The focus is on the football squad which alleviates pressure while you try to get things back on the right track.

That's where the Phoenix Suns were just last week. Despite being mired in their longest losing skid in nine seasons, the sports eye in the Valley was squarely on the Arizona Cardinals.

The Suns were able to snap out of their losing streak with consecutive wins against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Utah Jazz. And with winnable home games Monday night against Sacramento and Wednesday vs. Charlotte, Alvin Gentry's team could actually be looking at streaking in the other direction.

"Those games, that if we're going to get back in this thing, we're just going to have to try to find a way to win them," Gentry said. "It all starts with Sacramento Monday, and that's what we have to place all our emphasis on right now."

The Kings enter Monday's game with a 7-16 record and are woeful 1-9 away from home -- the worst in the Western Conference.

Suns forward Michael Beasley knows that winning back-to-back games is a start, but not nearly enough for the Suns (9-15) to be satisfied.

"I think we all understand that two wins is minuscule in the big picture," Beasley said. "We have a goal to get to and two wins is not going to help us get there. We're definitely happy to get that bad streak over, but we all understand we don't want to get there again."