Following his team's 121-98 pummeling at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey came to the defense of his guys. According to the 61-year-old coach, he believes that his players are giving it their all, but also hinted that he thinks they can do more.

“That team is a very good team,” Casey said, via ESPN. “But there's another competitive level we can get to. We've got some guys that are laying it on the line but not enough.”

Casey seems to be sending out a bit of a cryptic message for his players here. He starts off by praising his guys for their effort, while also reaffirming his belief in the potential of the team. He then appears to take step back by implying that he expects more from them.

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The Pistons did leave a lot to be desired in their New Year's Day matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo an co. As a team, Detroit shot a paltry 38.0 percent from the field, while allowing their opponents to make 59.5 percent of their attempts.

Pistons star Blake Griffin was his usual dominant self Tuesday, dropping 29 points (on 9-of-20 shooting), four three-pointers, nine rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. However, aside from Andre Drummond (15) and Reggie Jackson (19), Griffin's supporting cast was a no show against the Bucks. The rest of the team (8 players) combined for only 35 points.

After winning only four out of 15 games in December, this was not the best way to start the new year for the Pistons. The team will end their four-game road trip on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, as they hope to improve on their current 16-19 record.