Charlotte Hornets small forward Miles Bridges was on a roll Sunday against Atlanta, shooting 11-for-15 from the field en route to a game-high 32 points. He was 4-for-6 with the three-ball and 6-for-6 at the line, grabbing four rebounds and handing out four assists with three steals and one block. Bridges has now had six 30-point efforts this season. It's been a great campaign for him, and he can currently enjoy an even bigger role offensively, with LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier out because of health and safety protocols. The 23-year-old finishes the new week with a nice matchup against Sacramento but has to face the Sixers first in back-to-back games.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges continued his breakout season with a season-high 35 points during a 115-105 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The Michigan State product shot 15-for-28 from the field, including 2-for-9 from beyond the arc, and 3-for-5 from the line. Bridges also posted 10 boards, for his third double-double of the season, and three assists. The performance was the 23-year-old's fifth game with 30 or more points on the season and he is now averaging 21.6 per game. Beyond the scoring, Bridges is averaging career-highs in rebounds, assists, and steals on a per-game basis. Fantasy managers have been rewarded with a top-20 player for an eighth-round investment a month into the season.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges continued his strong start to the season with 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and a steal during a 106-102 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The 23-year-old shot 9-for-16 from the field, including 2-for-6 from three-point range, and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line. Bridges is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, and is on his way to a breakout year for the Hornets. The Michigan State product has made for the perfect running mate with point guard LaMelo Ball and has been a draft-day steal for fantasy managers.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges did a little bit of everything in Wednesday's loss to the Warriors. Bridges rebounded quickly from a poor shooting night his last time out, as he poured in an efficient 32 points- he shot 12-for-22 from the field and 5 of 9 from deep- with nine boards, two assists, two blocks, and two steals in 38 minutes. The breakout campaign is in full swing for the Michigan State product, as he's pacing for career-best marks nearly across the board. Fantasy managers could explore trade offers for the budding star, but he is outpacing his ADP by so much that it might be best to enjoy the returns, which appear likely to stick given his playing time and usage.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges kept up his torrid stretch of play in Wednesday's win over the Magic. Bridges poured in a team-high 31 points on 11-for-21 shooting from the field and 5 of 10 shooting from beyond the arc. The 23-year-old sank 4 of 5 free throws, adding six boards and a block in 35 minutes of action. Bridges has been perhaps the best value in fantasy basketball drafts so far, as he is averaging 26.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the field, each of which would shatter his previous career-high. The Michigan State product will get a tough test in his next matchup on Friday against the Heat and Jimmy Butler, one of the very best perimeter defenders in the league.

Charlotte Hornets small forward Miles Bridges had it going on against the Nets on Sunday, scoring a team-high 32 points in a surprising 111-95 road victory. He shot 9-for-16 from the floor and was busy at the line with an 11-for-12 record while sinking three treys with five attempts. Bridges almost pulled off a double-double as well, collecting nine rebounds. He finished things off with two assists, two steals and one block. The 23-year-old has now netted 30 points in back-to-back outings, making himself Charlotte's top scorer with a points average of 25.0. He looks in a decent spot to continue his impressive scoring run, as the Hornets host Boston on Monday and the C's have been weak defensively at the start of the season.

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges had a very nice outing on Friday against Cleveland, scoring a team-high 30 points on 13-for-24 shooting in a 123-112 win. He was 4-for-9 with the three-ball and put in some good work on the defensive end as well with three steals. Bridges also picked up seven boards. The 23-year-old is off to a good start to the season and the Hornets are fun to watch with their up-tempo style. They should be involved in another high-scoring game on Sunday versus Brooklyn, with LaMelo Ball no doubt a very popular choice among DFS managers, but don't forget Bridges either.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have picked up the team option on coach James Borrego’s contract for next season, said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the Hornets do not publicly release information about staff contracts. It's unclear if the Hornets will look to sign Borrego to a long-term contact. Borrego is 95-124 in three seasons with the Hornets, including a 33-39 mark this season. The Hornets qualified for the play-in tournament as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference but were eliminated after being routed 144-117 by the Indiana Pacers. Several players called the performance embarrassing. The Hornets were in fourth place in April, but injuries and COVID-19-related issues sidelined key players, including Gordon Hayward, LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Devonte Graham and Malik Monk and the team began to slide. Charlotte finished the season losing its last six games. Borrego received an endorsement after the season from general manager Mitch Kupchak, who said he believes “the coach did a great job.” ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — While the Charlotte Hornets found a player to build around in point guard LaMelo Ball and made significant strides this season, coach James Borrego knows there’s plenty of work to do before his young team is ready to compete with the NBA’s elite. And he’s hoping a disappointing finish to the season will provide the impetus to get there. Charlotte was fourth in the Eastern Conference last month before injuries sent the team into a tailspin. The Hornets were 8-17 after Gordon Hayward went down with a season-ending foot injury and lost their final six games, including an embarrassing 144-117 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the play-in tournament. Borrego said the late season struggles serve as a “necessary step” for the Hornets. “Every great team, every great player has been hit in the mouth to close the season — every one of them,” Borrego said. “I have yet to see a player or organization from day one where they come out and are just rolling. It just doesn't happen. This... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — LaMelo Ball scored 23 points, including two free throws with 5.8 seconds left, and the Charlotte Hornets took another step toward the postseason with a 102-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. Detroit trailed by two when rookie Killian Hayes was fouled with 9.4 seconds remaining, but he made just one of two free throws. Ball made his free throws at the other end, and Hayes missed a last-second 3-pointer. Hamidou Diallo scored a career-high 35 points for Detroit. The Hornets are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and are in solid shape to make it at least to the play-in round. They are two games behind seventh-place Boston. “Every game’s important late in the season,” Charlotte's Terry Rozier said. “Melo came in and put us on his back.” Charlotte was without Miles Bridges, who was out because of health and safety protocols. “I don’t know the extent, the days. We have not confirmed that yet," coach James Borrego said before the game. “What that means,... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — LaMelo Ball scored 23 points, including two free throws with 5.8 seconds left, and the Charlotte Hornets took another step toward the postseason with a 102-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. Detroit trailed by two when rookie Killian Hayes was fouled with 9.4 seconds remaining, but he made just one of two free throws. Ball made his free throws at the other end, and Hayes missed a last-second 3-pointer. Hamidou Diallo scored a career-high 35 points for Detroit. The Hornets are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and are in solid shape to make it at least to the play-in round. They are two games behind seventh-place Boston. Charlotte was without Miles Bridges, who was out because of health and safety protocols. “I don’t know the extent, the days. We have not confirmed that yet," coach James Borrego said before the game. “What that means, for us down the road, I don’t know. He is out tonight, and we’ll just take it from here.” Terry Rozier scored 18... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — In a time when many veteran NBA players are doing anything they can to join a “super team” in hopes of winning a championship, Gordon Hayward is a bit of an anomaly. Hayward took the road less traveled this offseason when he opted out of his contract with the high-profile Celtics and chose to come to Charlotte to take on a more prominent role and the opportunity to help build a young Hornets team into a playoff contender. So far, so good. The 11-year NBA veteran is averaging a career-high 22.3 points along with 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game for the playoff-starved Hornets, who are 13-15 and in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Hayward, an All-Star in 2017, is ninth in All-Star balloting among frontcourt players in the East. “I wanted to go somewhere where I could maximize who I am as a basketball player again,” he said. “Certainly the responsibility here is more, and I'm embracing that.” Hayward said the decision to leave Boston and sign a... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 12 assists, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets 111-108 on Thursday night. Pascal Siakam added 15 points and seven rebounds as Toronto ended a two-game skid and improved to 3-8. “I'm just trying to figure out a way to get us going,” said Boucher, who is averaging 20.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in the last four games, all in a reserve role. “Playing defense and bringing energy is what you're there for. It's pretty much what I do.” “As good as the numbers look, there's a lot of room for improvement,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “He's really close to being a really solid defensive player.” Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 22 points and P.J. Washington had 20 points and 11 rebounds. LaMelo Ball had 14 points and 11 assists as Charlotte played without leading scorer Gordon Heyward, who strained his left hip in Wednesday night's 104-93 loss to Dallas that ended a four-game winning streak.... [More]

TAMPA (AP) — Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 12 assists, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets 111-108 on Thursday night. Pascal Siakam added 15 points and seven rebounds as Toronto ended a two-game skid and improved to 3-8. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 22 points and P.J. Washington had 20 points and 11 rebounds. LaMelo Ball had 14 points and 11 assists as Charlotte played without leading scorer Gordon Heyward, who strained his left hip in Wednesday night's 104-93 loss to Dallas that ended a four-game winning streak. Fred Van Fleet's 3-pointer with 1:52 left in the first quarter launched a 34-11 Toronto run over the next 8 1/2 minutes that put the Raptors ahead to stay. They led 71-62 at halftime after shooting 13 for 25 (52%) from behind the arc. Boucher had 16 points in the first half, including a layup that left the Raptors with a 15-point lead, their largest of the half. After Toronto missed its first seven shots of the fourth... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Hornets have exercised the third-year contract option on forward PJ Washington and the fourth-year option on forward Miles Bridges. Neither move Wednesday comes as a surprise as both appear to figure into the team’s long-term plans. Washington, a projected starter this season, enters his second NBA season after starting 57 games as a rookie. He averaged 12.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 30.3 minutes per game and shot 37.4% from beyond the 3-point arc. The 6-foot-7 forward earned All-Rookie second team honors in 2019-20. Bridges is in his third NBA season. The 6-foot-6 Bridges has played in 145 games with 89 starts, and improved his scoring average to 13 points per game last season after averaging 7.5 as a rookie. Bridges, who is expected to come off the bench this season following the addition of Gordon Hayward, scored 20 points and added five rebounds and five assists during the 2020 Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star weekend in Chicago. The Hornets open the season Wednesday night at Cleveland. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets won’t be among the 22 teams headed to Orlando when the NBA season returns — and that has coach James Borrego concerned about his young, developing team falling behind the rest of the league.(asterisk)It is a disadvantage? Yeah, it could be a major disadvantage,” Borrego said.The Hornets, who are owned by Michael Jordan, are one of eight teams awaiting guidance from the league on what they’ll be allowed to do on their own while other teams resume play at the Disney sports complex on July 31. The layoff means Hornets players could go more than eight months between playing in meaningful games after the league shut down in March following the coronavirus outbreak.That’s troublesome for Borrego, who felt like his team was playing its best basketball at the end of last season and was eager to reconvene in Orlando and continue that development.Charlotte finished the season 23-42 and in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, but made steady progress throughout... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — All-Star starters Luka Doncic of Dallas and Trae Young of Atlanta headlined the list of players released Friday to participate in the Rising Stars game at All-Star weekend in Chicago.Also on the list: likely rookie of the year frontrunner Ja Morant of Memphis, and No. 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson of New Orleans.The format has 10 first- and second-year players from the U.S. on one team, against 10 first- and second-year players from other nations. Doncic leads the World team, joined by Nickeil Alexander-Walker of New Orleans, Deandre Ayton of Phoenix, RJ Barrett of New York, Brandon Clarke of Memphis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner of Washington, Svi Mykhailiuk of Detroit and Josh Okogie of Minnesota.Joining Young, Morant and Williamson on the U.S. team are Miles Bridges, PJ Washington and Devonte’ Graham of Charlotte, Wendell Carter Jr. of Chicago, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn of Miami, Jaren Jackson Jr. of Memphis and Eric Paschall of Golden State.Williamson is an injury replacement for Carter, who has a sprained right ankle and is not expected to play for the Bulls until after the All-Star break.With Alexander-Walker, Barrett, Clarke and Gilgeous-Alexander, the game features a record four Canadians. Hachimura is the first Japanese player to be selected for the game.The game is Friday, Feb. 14.__More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kemba Walker says he holds no ill feelings toward Michael Jordan, even though the Hornets owner and six-time NBA champion decided not to keep him in Charlotte by paying him a $221 million supermax contract.In fact, Walker only has love for Jordan."MJ is always going to be a special guy in my life," Walker said Thursday night after his return to Charlotte as a member of the Boston Celtics. "He's one of the reasons I am where I am today."Jordan drafted Walker with the ninth pick in the 2011 NBA draft, and Walker took it from there. He beat out DJ Augustin for the starting point guard spot and flourished into a three-time All-Star despite being undersized — he's listed at 6-foot — for his position.Along the way, he became tight with Jordan, and the two still talk regularly. Although Walker said they didn't have a chance to catch up Thursday, he said he feels like he can talk with Jordan anytime."He gave me the opportunity to flourish as a basketball player," Walker said.... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hornets coach James Borrego still isn't ready to name his entire starting five on the eve of the regular-season opener.The second-year coach says point guard Terry Rozier and center Cody Zeller will start Wednesday night when the Hornets host the Chicago Bulls. However, he isn't disclosing the other three starters.Borrego says he'll make an announcement until just before tipoff.Miles Bridges, Dwayne Bacon, Nic Batum, Marvin Williams, Malik Monk and rookie PJ Washington are all in the mix to start.Borrego says he ran with one group of five in Tuesday's closed practice, but wanted to meet with his coaching staff before making a final decision.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Mitch Kupchak doesn't see the Charlotte Hornets being major players in free agency as they attempt to build a winning franchise in the post-Kemba Walker era — at least not right away.Instead, the second-year general manager said Monday he anticipates the Hornets will construct the roster through draft picks and "savvy trades" during the season, while compiling as many assets as possible."We will not be an active player" in free agency, Kupchak said. "I think we can build a culture here and get enough assets and have a promising enough future and really attract the kind of free agent you want to spend that kind of money on — but I don't think you can do it right now."So in the meantime, the Hornets will give young players like Dwayne Bacon, Miles Bridges, Malik Monk, Devonte Graham and even rookie PJ Washington extensive playing time this season as part of their No. 1 overall goal of player development after going 39-43 last season and losing Walker, a three-time All-Star,... [More]