Wednesday night in Atlanta, the Charlotte Hornets season came to end, losing to the Hawks 132-103 in the NBA’s play-in tournament.
It was a frustrating game for the Hornets, who shot just 37.8% from the field, and found themselves down 26 points heading into the fourth quarter. With 6:39 remaining in the fourth quarter, Hornets forward Miles Bridges was ejected “because he used profanity directed at the official,” warranting a second technical foul and an ejection.
On his way to the tunnel, Bridges lashed out at a fan, throwing his mouthpiece into the stands. Bridges missed his target, instead hitting a young girl in the stands with the mouthpiece.
It looks like Miles Bridges threw his mouthpiece at a fan after his ejection tonight 😳
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) April 14, 2022
Following the game, Bridges took to social media to try and locate the fan who was hit by his errant throw, and apologized in his postgame press conference.
“I was upset about a call, a couple of calls really,” Bridges said after the game. “I let my temper get the best of me. That was definitely the wrong thing to do.”
I was aiming for the guy that was screaming at me and it hit a little girl,” Bridges continued. “That’s unacceptable on my part. I take full responsibility and will take any consequences the NBA gives me. That’s on me. That’s out of character for me.”
“Hopefully, I can get in contact with the young girl, sincerely apologize to her and do something nice for her,” he added.
Miles Bridges postgame about throwing his mouthpiece at a fan & accidentally hitting a 16-year-old girl
"That was definitely wrong. Hopefully I can get in contact with the young girl & sincerely apologize & do something nice for her. That's on me."pic.twitter.com/sESgUvgadD
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 14, 2022
Charlotte head coach James Borrego told reporters after the game that he wasn’t aware of the incident, according to ESPN.
“I’m sure we’ll gather some more information and I need some time to talk to Miles and I know he was very emotional at the time, so I’ll gather some more information,” Borrego said.
The Hawks looked like the team that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, shooting 50% from three and all five of their starters scoring in double figures. All-Star point guard Trae Young had 24 points, but shot just 8-24 from the field, adding 11 assists as he got his teammates involved.
“If teams are going to face-guard me or trap me, it’s my job to make the right play and my teammates’ job to finish,” Young said.
Atlanta will play for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference on Friday, when they’ll travel to Cleveland.
The NBA Playoffs are nearly set, as the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves locked up the seventh seed in their respective conferences on Wednesday. The L.A. Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans will play Friday for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].
The Daily Wire is one of America’s fastest growing conservative media companies for breaking news, investigative reporting, sports, podcasts, in-depth analysis, books, and entertainment for a reason: because we believe in what we do. We believe in our country, in the value of truth and the freedom to speak it, and in the right to challenge tyranny wherever we see it. Believe the same? Become a member now and join our mission.
Source: Dailywire
