The set-up: The 17-29 Sacramento Kings continue the team's eight-game road trip with a stop Monday night in Philadelphia, to take on the 19-28 76ers for a game rescheduled from its original date (Nov. 30), when condensation on the floor at the Wells Fargo Center made for an unsafe environment. The teams own similar records but while the 76ers rank 14th of 15 teams in the East and are five games out of the final playoff spot, the Kings are 10th in the West, just 2 1/2 games out of that final playoff spot.

Sacramento: The Kings have won three of their last four, improving to 3-3 on their road trip which ends Tuesday in Houston. "Guys have been great lately," star forward DeMarcus Cousins told reporters after posting 35 points and 18 rebounds in Saturday's 109-106 win at Charlotte. "They are believing. Their confidence is high, which we need, and we're just on the right path and we feel it." The Kings recently lost the team's second-leading scorer, Rudy Gay (18.7), to a season ending injury so it was good news that four other players scored at least 13 points in Saturday's win. Cousins (28.1 & 10.5) was sure pleased to get the support. "We are realizing what is going to win us games and it's not iso(lation) basketball," he told reporters. "When we are making the defense work and getting the best shot for the team and just finding the open man, we are realizing that is working for us." Darren Collison (13.1 & 4.2 APG) led that quartet with 17 points and he is averaging 22.0 PPG on 59.5 percent shooting in the last three games.

Philadelphia: The 76ers won 10 of 13 games from Dec. 30 through Jan. 25 but lost 123-118 at home to teh Rockets and Sunday lost 121-108 in Chicago, the team's 12th straight defeat against the Bulls. Joel Embiid (knee) has missed four of the last five games, including not even making the trip to Chicago. However, the 76ers hope to have their star center back in the lineup when then they host the Kings. Embiid leads the team in scoring (20.2), rebounding (7.8) and blocked shots (2.45). Sixers backup center Jahlil Okafor (11.2 & 4.8) dressed but did not play Sunday against Chicago. He has been held out of 10 of the last 14 games, most recently because of a sore right knee. However, all five starters for Philadelphia scored at least 12 points in Sunday's loss, led by Ersan Ilyasova's 31. He's averaging 15.5 & 6.1 on the season. PG McConnell (5.6 & 6.0 APG) continued his impressive play with12 assists, giving him an average of 10.8 over the past five games.

The pick: The insertion of McConnell into the starting lineup at PG back on Dec. 30 is what has sparked Philly's recent run. Yes, the 7ers have lost back-to-back games but this is the Kings' seventh game in 11 nights. Make Philly a 10* play.