The Milwaukee Bucks have hit a rough patch on defense, and head coach Doc Rivers isn't sugarcoating the team's recent struggles. After a 128-100 loss to the Toronto Raptors, Rivers made his concerns clear.

"The last three games we have not been very good defensively, and we have to get that fixed," Rivers said following the team's worst loss of the season.

What Happened Against Toronto

The Bucks never found their rhythm at Scotiabank Arena, getting thoroughly outplayed on both ends of the floor.

Toronto dominated from start to finish, shooting 48.4 percent from the field while holding Milwaukee to just 43 percent. The Raptors went 17-for-38 from beyond the arc (44.7 percent), exposing Milwaukee's perimeter defense throughout the night.

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett each poured in 23 points for Toronto, while Immanuel Quickley and Sandro Mamukelashvili added 15 apiece. The Raptors also controlled the glass, out-rebounding Milwaukee 50-41 in what became a complete team effort.

For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 22 points, but it wasn't nearly enough. The two-time MVP could only do so much, as the team's defensive breakdowns and lack of energy on the second night of a back-to-back proved to be the difference.

A Troubling Three-Game Stretch

The defensive issues didn't start against Toronto, and looking at Milwaukee's last three games shows a concerning trend.

The Bucks allowed the 1-4 Kings to score 135 points, with Zach LaVine dropping 31 and DeMar DeRozan adding 29, and Milwaukee squandered a 15-point first-quarter lead, struggling to get stops down the stretch.

While the Bucks escaped with a win thanks to Giannis's buzzer-beater, they allowed 115 points to a shorthanded Pacers team playing without several key rotation players.

The worst defensive showing of the three was against the Raptors however, where the Bucks had no answers for Toronto's balanced attack.

Across these three games, Milwaukee has allowed an average of 126.7 points per game while their defense has looked disjointed and lacking in communication, even with their 5-3 record.

Time to Fix It

With Myles Turner brought in specifically to bolster the defense and Gary Trent Jr. brought back for perimeter toughness, the Bucks have the personnel to be better.

But as Rivers made clear, having the right players isn't enough if the effort and execution aren't there.

Milwaukee has built its identity around elite defense in recent years anchored by Giannis, so If they want to compete for another championship with their current core, fixing these defensive issues needs to happen quickly.

The good news? The Bucks are only eight games into the season. The bad news? In a surprisingly competitive Eastern Conference, they can't afford many more performances like the one in Toronto.