The Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans are both stressing game-to-game improvement as they try to grow into playoff contenders.

The Kings, who claimed an encouraging last-second victory at Phoenix on Wednesday, travel Friday to face the Pelicans. New Orleans has played better in splitting its last two games after starting the season 0-3.

"We're a different group," Sacramento coach Luke Walton said after Harrison Barnes' 3-pointer beat the final buzzer and broke a 107-all tie against the Suns. "We have a long way to go still, but we put in time and we put in work and it's a group that believes in each other, a group that knows they're headed in the right direction."