Why couldn’t Miles Bridges play against the Toronto Raptors last night?
Although he missed last night’s game against the Raptors in Toronto, he still managed to grab headlines with the explanation for his absence.
The Charlotte Hornets are struggling in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, sitting at the third-last position. Their iconic owner, Michael Jordan, recently sold them. The team is coming off their worst loss in franchise history, a 135-82 defeat against the 76ers, and they have lost their last five games, including a 114-99 loss against the Toronto Raptors.
With a record of 7 wins and 18 losses, the Hornets face serious roster issues on and off the court.
Scottie Barnes had himself a game as the Toronto Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets 114-99 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. #WeTheNorth #Raptors pic.twitter.com/wfeWFCS8Pj
— Steve Russell (@SteveRussell) December 19, 2023
One of the players causing trouble for the team is Miles Bridges. Even though he did not play in last night’s game against the Raptors in Toronto, he still made headlines. Bridges pleaded no contest to a felony charge of injuring a child’s parent and was denied entry to Canada on Sunday. The Hornets announced that he was “not with the team” just an hour before tipoff.
Miles Bridges banned in Canada
The talented player was denied entry into Canada, highlighting his past legal troubles and the reasoning behind the border issue.
Bridges, presently under a three-year probation term, entered into this legal arrangement after pleading no contest in June 2022. The charges stemmed from a domestic violence case involving the mother of his two children. Allegations against Bridges included assaulting her in the presence of their children.
ESPN Sources: Canada’s decision to deny Hornets F Miles Bridges entry into country is unlikely to be reversed in time for him to arrive for tonight’s game vs. Raptors. Bridges – who plead no contest to felony charge of injuring a child’s parent – was denied border access Sunday. pic.twitter.com/Z4Ajw0FHhJ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 18, 2023
To comply with the terms of his probation, Bridges must adhere to a 10-year criminal protection order for the woman. Additionally, he is subject to weekly narcotics and marijuana testing, along with making restitution, as outlined by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
Adding to the complications, Bridges again found himself in legal trouble when he turned himself in on October 13. This move came after an arrest warrant was issued, citing an alleged protection order violation. Although the warrant was initially released on January 2, it remained unserved until October, just before the commencement of the NBA season.
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Court documents revealed that Bridges is accused of “unlawfully” and “knowingly” violating the protection order, persistently contacting the victim. As of now, this case is still pending, leaving the NBA player’s future uncertain.
In response to these legal challenges, the NBA suspended Bridges for the initial 10 games of the season. This decision followed his absence from the entirety of the previous season. This season, He is averaging 19.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in the last 12 games since his return from suspension.