Bobby Portis Returns to Bucks After Serving 25-Game Ban, Posts Double-Double in Comeback Win
Bobby Portis made a powerful return to the Milwaukee Bucks lineup Tuesday night, appearing in his first game since the All-Star break and helping the team overcome a massive 24-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 110–103.
Back from a 25-game suspension for testing positive for the banned substance Tramadol, Portis provided an energetic lift off the bench, logging 29 minutes and contributing 18 points along with 10 rebounds.
The league’s anti-drug policy prohibits Tramadol, though Portis claimed the substance was taken mistakenly, believing he had consumed Toradol, a permitted medication he’d used previously. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, backed the explanation.
Portis took to X the night before his return, expressing frustration over the ban: “At first, I was angry… like, why me?” he said in the video. The suspension capped off a rough personal period for the forward, which also included the death of his grandmother and a break-in at his home. Despite the turmoil, he remained grounded and focused, continuing personal workouts to stay game-ready.
“I’m grateful I get to wake up, train, and play the game I love—even if I wasn’t in front of the fans,” Portis said. “I just kept my head down and stayed ready.”
Now back just in time for the season’s final stretch, Portis was welcomed by his teammates and coaches. Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma noted Portis’ impact goes beyond stats: “He gives us energy, toughness, and a spark we need.”
Coach Doc Rivers acknowledged the emotional toll the suspension took: “Bobby felt labeled unfairly. His spirit wasn’t the same, but things eventually shifted. Workouts helped, and honestly, so did card games with teammates on the plane—it really took the whole team to lift him up.”
The suspension cost Portis nearly $2.9 million in salary. This season, he has averaged 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and a career-high 2.2 assists in 46 appearances. His field goal and three-point percentages (.463 and .364) are the lowest since his final season before joining Milwaukee.
Before Portis’ suspension, the Bucks stood at 29-24. They went 15-10 during his absence, showing early success with a 7-1 run but eventually slumping due to depth issues in the frontcourt and the loss of star guard Damian Lillard, who has been sidelined since mid-March with blood clots in his calf. Lillard’s return remains uncertain.
With just three games left in the regular season, Milwaukee trails fourth-place Indiana by three games but holds the tiebreaker if records match. The top four teams earn home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.
