With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to enter the NBA playoffs on a high note. They have been without star point guard Damian Lillard who is out with blood clots in his calf. While his return is uncertain, the Bucks are seeing someone else make his way back to the lineup. Bobby Portis has seen his suspension come to a conclusion, and he is now eligible to play on Tuesday.
Bucks Sixth Man To Return From Suspension On Tuesday
Bobby Portis To Return To Bucks Lineup Against Timberwolves
It has been nearly two months since Portis last appeared in a game for Milwaukee. He last played on February 12, but soon after, he received a 25-game suspension. The 30-year-old tested positive for tramadol, which is a banned substance by the league. Milwaukee went 15-10 in his absence. Portis is now eligible to return for the Bucks outing on Tuesday at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It is a much-needed return for Portis to a Bucks roster that lacks size off the bench behind their frontcourt starters of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, and Kyle Kuzma. The team has also been without reserve center Jericho Sims, who has been out since March 16 with a torn right thumb ligament.
Selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Portis is now in his fifth season with Milwaukee. Since joining the team, he has been one of the most productive players in the league coming off the bench. The 6-foot-10 power forward/center has finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting each of the last two seasons. He was also a key reserve for the Bucks for their 2021 championship team as well as this season’s team that won the Emirates NBA Cup.
This season, Portis has appeared in 46 games, starting seven of them. Playing 25.2 minutes per contest, the 10-year veteran is posting averages of 13.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. He is shooting 46.3% from the field, 36.4% from beyond the arc, and 82.1% from the free-throw line. While his field goal and three-point accuracy are the low marks of his Milwaukee tenure, the Bucks are certainly welcoming back Portis with open arms.
Playoffs For Ninth Straight Season
At 44-34, the Bucks have already clinched a spot in the postseason. This will be their ninth-straight year experiencing playoff basketball. Since winning a championship though in 2021, they have won only one postseason series in the ensuing three years, including a first round exit each of the last two seasons.
Winners of four straight, it is unlikely that Milwaukee can move up to fourth in the Eastern Conference standings. Right now, they are fifth, one-and-a-half games ahead of the sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons. The Bucks will likely own the tiebreaker with a 2-0 series lead over Detroit, but the two teams meet up with each other for their final two regular season contests. The fifth seed is expected to play the Indiana Pacers in the first round, while the sixth seed is likely to have a matchup with the New York Knicks.
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