The Milwaukee Bucks have been in a downward spiral lately and have now dropped five straight games after a 115-103 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers Monday night.

With star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo out with a groin strain, Milwaukee has looked lost. 

Offensively, the Bucks have looked okay. They're averaging 106.8 points per game while shooting 45.3% from the field and 41.4% from three. The issue arises when it comes to defense as the Bucks have allowed 120.8 points against them during their losing streak, creating a disparity that they haven't been able to overcome. 

An issue with physicality has been among the biggest problems for Milwaukee defensively. Deprived of Antetokounmpo's presence, Milwaukee has had few answers to its opponents' big men.

Bobby Portis Wants His Team to Stay Consistent

Struggling so severely so early in the season can surely be demoralizing. That's why it's crucial at this stage of the season that Milwaukee looks for ways to generate momentum. As one of the longest-standing veterans of the team, the task falls to Bobby Portis to keep the morale high in the locker room.

From Portis' perspective, it's important for the team to stay the course, rather than try any kind of dramatic shift to change things up.

"I was taught as a young rook that nobody's going to feel sorry for you. So, you just got to keep doing the things that you do on a daily basis... Keep the same swag, keep the same energy, be you every day, and then things will start to turn around. Just because things aren't going great now doesn't mean that in the near future we won't go on a five-game win streak, six-game win streak."

"Have Fun, That's the Biggest Thing"

As hard as things have gotten for the Bucks, Portis believes it's important to feel relaxed on the court and try to let go of the tension that's built up over the course of this losing streak. At its core, basketball is a game meant to be enjoyed, even when it's played at the highest stakes. 

Despite the way that the on-court product has suffered recently, Portis doesn't want his teammates to get inside their own heads. Instead, he wants to enjoy the game that they're playing and trust in the process with the hope that things can't be this bad forever. 

"Have fun, that's the biggest thing. Have fun when you play the game," Portis said (via Bucks). "Just have fun and let everything else play itself out."