The Milwaukee Bucks gathered at Fiserv Forum in their return from the NBA all-star break with a key member of the team absent, as Bobby Portis began serving his 25-game suspension for a positive test of a banned substance, Tramadol, Thursday night.

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers spoke to reporters prior to Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers to offer the first public comments from the team, aside from a statement from general manager Jon Horst earlier in the day, on Portis’ suspension.

Here is everything Rivers had to say about the suspension and how the Bucks will adjust.

With Bobby, what’s the communication been on the suspension?

Rivers: “There’s been a lot, a lot of communication, obviously. This (discussion) has been going on for a while, and it’s really, it bothers me in a lot of ways. Bobby, I want to make something clear, Bobby’s not a drug user. I hate that it just says that you flunked a drug policy, and so when people read that the first place they go is the wrong place. This was as big of a mistake as can be made. But it’s a mistake. And so it bothers me on a lot of levels. I think, as a league – trying to steer close to the middle here – but we got to try to, rules are rules and I get it, but there are also human circumstances and common sense to me.

“And one thing Bobby is not is a cheater. And so to me, that’s where we have to try to figure out how to change this a little bit, because when it’s clear to the guy, Toradol, I don’t even know, when it’s that close and it’s clear, you can tell now from the blood samples that that was the only time ever (that he took it), that you would think that we could do something less severe. But we have this rule that if you do it, you’re out, and that’s the way it is.

“So I just feel bad for Bobby on so many levels. Dude’s gone through a lot this year with his grandmother passing, and his house has been broken into and then this. The one thing I did tell him is that this is gonna be one hell of a story for you.

“Our goals haven’t changed as a team. This is going to be harder. I mean, Bobby is a huge loss. I’m not going to try to sugar coat that. He’s been so good for us, not only on the floor, but his spirit. We need his spirit. But we still get to play, and I’ve always been reminded of that. Bobby does not get to play, so that’s the tough part in this whole thing. And our job is to make sure – not only just us players and coaches, we got to make sure Bobby is still with us – but even in the community. He’s so big here. When you see him out there, make sure he knows that you’re with him, because he needs it all right now.”

Him to you, I’m sure there’s lots of emotions going on. Anger, sadness, all of that. But knowing how much he loves basketball, to have that taken away, how is he responding?

Rivers: “It’s funny. What the people don’t see is there’s certain guys that you need. Shootaround is different. Bobby is the one guy, he’s the voice in stuff around practice. Bobby is the guy and he’s the guy that tells everybody that on our team. And today, it was me saying that, and it’s just not the same, let me tell you. Bobby’s voice is bigger and better. So those are the ways you (miss him). Obviously, we miss him on the floor. I have a saying that you can’t replace a human being. You just can’t. And especially Bobby.

Speaking to that, when we were in Minnesota, you had said that Kyle Kuzma is a big and someone that you can use in those spots.

Rivers: “We have no choice.”

I guess, speaking to that, just, how do you try to go about replacing what Bobby can do?

Rivers: “Well, you don’t, as I said, especially with the scoring that he gave us. Kuz,  thank God, can play the three and the four. So that’ll help us a little bit. Jericho (Sims), who we made a trade for, he can help us in a pinch here, as well. And listen, you always find something. I wish I could tell you what that is, but we’ll find something through this in these 25 games. The good news, we didn’t lose him for the season, and so we’ll figure it out. We have no choice.”

Will Bobby be able to practice and travel with you? And then he has to leave the arena?

Rivers: “He will be able to practice with us in those two practices we’ll have this year. He can come to the arenas, but he has to leave two hours before. The travel stuff is still being discussed with the league. We’re hoping (for the best), because we want him just to be with us. I can’t imagine  how strange that’s going to be for him, going up with the team will be great, but when the team leaves for the game, you stay at the hotel. I don’t know if that would be that great. But I still think the benefits of him being with the team would be better, and that’s what we’re fighting for. So we hope so.

You’re so entrenched with this league. It’s not clear if there is even an appeals process, or if he would try to do it. It sounds like you don’t think the punishment fits the crime. Are you kind of toeing the line of what you really want to say about what you feel about this?

Rivers: “You’re reading me very well. There is an appeals process, but the danger of that is too great to take. I’ll just leave it there.”

Did he test positive a while ago?

Rivers: “Yeah, a long time ago. This has been the fight ever since.”

(League sources indicated to the Journal Sentinel the failed test occurred around Thanksgiving time.)

From Bobby’s comments, he made it clear that it was, from his perspective, just a matter of confusion. Is there any disappointment from your side of things that he didn’t go through the team in terms of clearing his medication?

Rivers: “Listen, we all do it. Everybody in this room has done. Hell, I was just telling someone I was on the golf course every day over all-star break, if I’m being honest. My back started going, so when a guy said, ‘Here,’ and it was blue, I’m assuming it’s an Advil. I didn’t know what hell it was, you know? But I don’t have to do a test.

“I guess the lesson there is that, though. My dad had a great saying, and I told our players it today, is trust everybody but cut the cards. If you play cards, you understand what I’m saying. That’s what you have to do. You just have to make sure, I think, as a reminder of that, that we have to be very careful what we put in our body.”