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 on Friday, and was listed as out Friday injury report for Charlotte’s matchup against 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 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Bridges hyperextended his right knee while trying to block a shot from Detroit’s Jaden Ivey. He twisted his knee when he landed awkwardly.
“I just messed up 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 on Thursday revealed the bone bruise. Before leaving the game, Bridges tied a season high with 27 points and also grabbed seven rebounds. He got off to a slow start in the Hornets’ first eight games, averaging 14.6 points per game (nearly seven points shy of his career-high 21 points per game last season).
Bridges, 26, is the latest injury on Charlotte’s front line, joining centers Mark Williams (foot strain) and Nick Richards (rib fracture). That has contributed in part to the Hornets’ 3-5 start, which puts them third in the Southeast Division, a half-game behind the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat.
