Defense and intensity are two words not commonly associated with the Sacramento Kings.

But I see the Kings coming out hard in this matchup, playing their toughest defense of the season. Sacramento is 1-7 on the season, losers of six in a row. There is dissension in the ranks. The players don't trust George Karl's system while Karl in turn is unhappy about his team's bad attitude and lack of effort.

All this can be put on pause for this game, though, following a Come-To-Jesus team meeting the Kings held on Tuesday.

DeMarcus Cousins is back. He had missed four games with an Achilles injury. The Kings also have played a murderous schedule of the Clippers twice, Spurs, Suns, Rockets and Warriors. Those teams all are ranked among the upper half in scoring with the Warriors No. 1 and Clippers No. 3. So some of the Kings' horrendous defensive numbers are skewed.

Detroit ranks 22nd in scoring. So finally the Kings draw a lesser offensive foe. The Pistons are much better defensively holding foes to 96.1 points per game. Only five teams give up fewer points per game.

Andre Drummond has been playing as well as any big man in the game, including Anthony Davis, averaging 19.4 points and a league-best 19.6 rebounds. Cousins is one of the few centers who physically can slow him down.

The Pistons' offense is heavily reliant on point guard Reggie Jackson, who is not a good outside shooter and suffered a bruised thigh during the Pistons' last game this past Monday against Golden State. The Pistons flunked that test losing by 14. So they should be fired-up to play hard, too.

If Jackson can't play or is severely hobbled, the Pistons are in big trouble because Brandon Jennings and Jodie Meeks are out. Backup point guard Steve Blake has looked horrible this season and Spencer Dinwiddie has yet to show anything in limited playing time.