The National Basketball Association (NBA) has suspended Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis for 25 games without pay after testing positive for the painkiller tramadol, a violation of the league's Anti-Doping Program.

Portis is not eligible to play until April 8, the earliest, when Milwaukee plays its 79th of 82 games this season. His suspension began at the home game of the Los Angeles Clippers this morning.

The player took the painkiller "unintentionally," his agent, Marc Bartelstein, said. He thought he was taking toradol, a prescription drug that he had taken before. Portis didn't realize it was tramadol, a fully-prescribed drug that is on the NBA's list of banned substances.

Portis has averaged 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Bucks since the start of the season, with his appearances mostly coming off the bench. Bucks are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a balance of 30-24. | BGNES