The Pistons have now dropped five games in a row and last night's effort was the worst of the skid. Head coach Dwane Casey delivered a strong message after losing to Dallas by 30 (116-86) and you could see the disappointment even on Casey's masked face as he said what he said.

"As good as we played against Minnesota; put us on a position to win, I thought we played just as bad tonight," he said. "Our attention to detail on switching, our one on one defense — we did not do a good job."

"I don’t know the answer to it right now. We need to find 7 or 8 guys who are going to compete and be focused and do what we should be doing."

Those are the words of a frustrated coach in the midst of a long losing streak. Being without Cade Cunningham for four games in a row has definitely hurt, but last night's effort simply wasn't good enough against a very depleted Dallas team that isn't that great even when at full strength.

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