Three quick observations from Monday night’s 125-115 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum 3 STARTERS SHORT – The Pistons would have had their hands full with the Milwaukee Bucks at full strength, but they were missing two starters when they tipped off for the first of two consecutive games against the team that’s had the NBA’s best regular-season record two years running. One of them was Blake Griffin and the guy who took his spot at power forward – Jerami Grant, also the Pistons leading scorer this season at 23.2 per game – lasted 99 seconds before picking up two quick fouls trying to guard two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo scored 30 first-half points – he finished with 43 on 17 of 24 shooting – and a few minutes into the second half, the Pistons lost a third starter, rookie Killian Hayes. Hayes, in pursuit of Jrue Holiday after a turnover, appeared to be in pain and grabbing at his right leg as he fell to the court while Holiday was going up for a layup. Hayes was ruled out for the rest of the game at the end of the third quarter with a right hip injury. The Pistons were within seven points early in the third quarter when the Bucks spurted to go up 18. The Pistons pulled to within eight points with five minutes to play behind the scoring of Grant (24, his sixth straight game of 20-plus points) and Derrick Rose (24 points, eight assists) and were still within eight when Antetokounmpo scored on a put-back with 1:39 to play – so consider it a win for the Pistons, at least, that the Bucks still had to have their MVP in the game in his 35th minute of a game where the Pistons were on a back to back against a rested Milwaukee. Griffin sat out for routine maintenance of his left knee – the one he had surgically repaired a year ago and as he did in the first back to back of the season last week. Also out was free-agent find Josh Jackson, who sprained his ankle in Sunday’s third quarter. The good news is Dwane Casey said before the game the Pistons were being cautious with Jackson’s injury and he expected he’d be back for Wednesday’s rematch with the Bucks. It was the first game this season that the Pistons, now 1-6, didn’t hold a lead at some point of the fourth quarter.