Andre Drummond

Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond reacts after a foul was called on Indiana Pacers' Paul George during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016 in Auburn Hills, Mich.

(Carlos Osorio | AP)

CHICAGO -- Not really a surprise per se, but Andre Drummond confirmed it this morning.

The players-only meeting called after the Detroit Pistons' loss to the Indiana Pacers Saturday night, the one that went 45 minutes after and involved the airing of grievances, involved Reggie Jackson and the going evolution of the offense.

Since Jackson's return from knee tendinitis, the Pistons are 3-5 and averaging just 95 points per game. They play the Chicago Bulls, who have lost three straight, tonight at the United Center (8 p.m., FSD).

"We had to come to grasp with the way he plays, it's not going to be the same type of style Ish (Smith) plays," Drummond said. "We had to put it out there like, 'Reggie demands the ball more than Ish does.' We've got to get used to playing the same way we did last year.

"We were so used to moving so freely with Ish playing - because he doesn't demand the ball, he doesn't handle it as much - but with Reggie being back, there's a lot of pick and rolls."

With the Jackson out, the Pistons offense was much more diversified. It relied more on ball movement and offense from the wings, especially Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris. Both tallied career highs in points and shot attempts during the first 21 games.

But in the eight games since Jackson's come back, shot attempts for both players - and the balance of he starting five - have dropped.

Some (Morris, -2.7 FGAs; Drummond, -1.1. FGA) more than others (Harris, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, -0.6 FGA), but Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy has noticed a precipitous decline in effort on the other end of the floor because of it.

"There's a lot of emotion going on, that some guys aren't going to get as many touches as they were in previous months," Drummond said. "Guys accepted it. It's kind of like a wakeup call. We've got to wake up. It's a whole different situation, but Reggie's back and we've all got to come to grasp with it.

"Tonight, hopefully we'll come out and play real well."

It's not a new concept - Jackson attempted nearly 16 shots per game in 2015-16, converting at a 43.4 percent clip while averaging a team-high 18.8 points per game. He flourishes with the ball in his hands, opposed to backup Ish Smith, who looked to distribute first.

In his eight games back, Jackson is attempting 13.3 shots - 2.4 fewer than his average last season - while shooting at a 39 percent rate.

Drummond described Saturday's post-game meeting as an open conversation, one in which everyone was invited to speak - and did. Marcus Morris detailed some of what was said Saturday night, but Drummond spoke from experience.

"I went through a stretch where I was really frustrated I wasn't getting certain touches in the paint," Drummond said. "It's human nature to feel that way. You've got to move on and try and put yourself in position to help your team win in a different way. Maybe scoring is not your part that night. Maybe it's blocking shots, getting steals and being a ball mover.

"When guys start to really realize that and start to see the bigger picture, I think we'll be fine."