“Throwing my mouthpiece was clearly the wrong thing to do.” He stated that he was going for an Atlanta Hawks fan, adding, “I was shooting for the person shouting at me and… it struck a small child.”
“That is clearly improper behavior on my side, for which I assume full responsibility. I’m prepared to accept whatever punishment the NBA imposes on me. That is entirely my responsibility. That is not typical of me. You’ve been around me long enough to know that I never behave in that manner or flare out in that manner. Thus, that was unquestionably incorrect, a great deal of passion. Hopefully, I will be able to contact the young girl and express my deepest apologies to her.”
The Hornets forward racked up two technical fouls and was finally removed from the game in the fourth quarter after vehemently protesting a goaltending call. While Bridges was heading off the floor into the locker room, a Hawks fan appeared to shout at him, and the player retaliated by tossing his mouthguard, which landed on a young spectator.
According to the NBA’s official website, Bridges may face extra punishments for his actions. Since 2016, the Hornets have missed the playoffs. They showed promise at the halftime break, scoring 29 points to their opponents’ 28. However, Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter sealed his team’s victory with a third-quarter surge following rising point guard Trae Young’s 24 points.
