Doc Rivers Calls Out Bucks for 'Inexcusable' Losses to Raptors, Grizzlies, Wizards

The Milwaukee Bucks have lost five of their last six games and three in a row with the playoffs right around the corner, dropping recent matchups against the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors.

None of those teams have winning records, and head coach Doc Rivers isn't happy about his team's form at the moment.

"The last three were against pretty bad teams," he told reporters. "And, to me, that's inexcusable. For all of us."

Bucks players agreed with that general sentiment.

"We lose three games in a row the way we have against the opponents we have, it's frustrating," Khris Middleton told reporters. "You don't want to disrespect any of those guys on the other side but when you look at it, we should be able to handle these teams. Especially what we're fighting for. We're fighting for the bigger picture."

"I think it's frustrating because we just so much better than that," Damian Lillard added. "Not to take anything away from those teams, because they're NBA teams at the end of the day, and you let guys start to believe and it can get dangerous out there and I think that's what happened in all three of the games. But at the end of the day, I just feel like we a lot better than that."

Rivers even said that one of the officials told him during the game, "Man, you can feel the heaviness of your team right now."

The frustration is palpable in Milwaukee, and for good reason. The Bucks are now 47-30 on the season but hold just a one-game lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a two-game lead over the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks.

Staying at No. 2 would allow them to face a team from the Play-In Tournament in the first round, though that may not be ideal this season compared to past years, with teams like the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers as potential matchups.

Either way, the Bucks don't want to enter the playoffs submerged in a slump, even if their current skid included Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo missing games.

The schedule doesn't get easier for them down the stretch, with matchups against the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and a pair of games against the Orlando Magic looming.