The Charlotte Hornets will be without second-leading scorer Miles Bridges in their lineup for at least two weeks after he was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Bridges’ injury was officially announced by the team Friday, and he was listed as out Friday injury report for Charlotte’s matchup with the Indiana Pacers. He will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to the team, but is expected to miss at least the Hornets’ next seven games.
The seventh-year forward suffered the injury during Wednesday’s 108-107 win over the Detroit Pistons. Bridges hyperextended his right knee trying to block a shot by Detroit’s Jaden Ivey. He twisted his knee as he landed awkwardly.
“I just got it wrong a little bit,” Bridges said Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer after the game. “I’ll be good. I’ll be good.”
An MRI exam Thursday revealed the bone bruise. Before leaving the game, Bridges tied a season high with 27 points while also grabbing seven rebounds. He was off to a slow start in the Hornets’ first eight games, averaging 14.6 points per game (nearly seven points fewer than his career-high 21 points per game last season).
Bridges, 26, is the latest injury on Charlotte’s front, joining centers Mark Williams (foot strain) and Nick Richards (broken rib). That contributed in part to the 3-5 start of the Hornets, which has them third in the Southeast Division, half a game behind the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat.
