Hornets' Miles Bridges latest injury will concern Charlotte fans
Hornets' small forward Miles Bridges just received a concerning health update. The sixth-year player out of Michigan State has had a difficult first few games, especially after heading into the season very optimistic about playing more with Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball . Unfortunately, he'll have to put that on hold after showing up on the Hornets' injury report.
Bridges will miss Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers due to right knee hyperextension, according to Charlotte Hornets PR. The injury took place during the Hornets' electric win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. It is currently unclear how long Bridges will be out with this setback.
Charlotte has shown flashes of its upside
Charlotte is in its first season under first-time head coach Charles Lee. After winning a title last season, the former Celtics assistant is trying to bring a championship culture to the Hornets . So far, it's been an uneven 3-5 start for the franchise. Some of this is because the Hornets have had to face the defending champs twice.
In addition, Brandon Miller has had to deal with a few injury hiccups at the beginning of this season. To this point, Charlotte ranks 21st in points per game at 110.9 and 20th in points allowed at 116.9. Miles Bridges is averaging 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest through eight games. He currently shoots 39.2% from the field and 26.7% from the three-point range.
Should Bridges continue his form, it would be a huge dropoff from last year, where he averaged career-highs in points and rebounds.
While the Hornets' small forward has struggled so far, the good news for the franchise this season is that LaMelo Ball looks to be regaining his All-Star form . The star point guard is efficiently averaging over 28 points a game and six assists.
Charlotte is set to face three presumed playoff teams in their upcoming games. After hosting Indiana, the Hornets will play consecutive road games against Philadelphia and Orlando. Charlotte's showdown with the Magic will be their first game of the 2024 NBA Cup.
With Bridges' status uncertain for these upcoming contests, it is paramount that Brandon Miller improves his recent form. Still, despite his slow start, Miller is beginning to show some early chemistry with LaMelo Ball, which was clear in their insane alley-oop against the Pistons.
Overall, the continued improvement of the Ball, Bridges, and Miller trio is crucial for a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since the 2015-2016 season, the longest active drought in the entire league.
