Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges voiced his frustration with officiating after Monday night’s 121-111 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the latest player to question whether the Lakers receive preferential treatment from referees.
Bridges’ comments came during a halftime interview when the Hornets trailed 65-63.
“It’s kind of hard guarding guys when they get fouls every possession,” Bridges said. “So we just gotta do our best to control what we can control and move on.”
The remarks quickly gained traction across social media, sparking another round of debate about the Lakers’ frequent trips to the free-throw line in close contests. Despite the Hornets’ strong offensive showing, they were unable to overcome costly turnovers and defensive lapses against a Los Angeles team led by Luka Doncic’s standout performance.
Bridges delivered one of his best games of the season, scoring a team-high 34 points along with eight rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block. He shot 11-of-19 from the field and 7-of-12 from three-point range while making five of six free throws in 40 minutes.
Rookie guard Kon Knuppel came close to his first career triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and a steal on 6-of-11 shooting. The Hornets collectively shot 52.8% from the field and converted 20 of their 22 free-throw attempts, compared to the Lakers’ 17-of-20 mark.
Miles Bridges: “It's kind of hard guarding guys when they get fouls every possession”
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— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) November 11, 2025
Turnovers overshadow Miles Bridges’ strong outing as Hornets fall to Lakers
The foul count remained relatively even, with Charlotte committing 25 fouls to Los Angeles’ 22. However, turnovers proved decisive. The Hornets gave the ball away 23 times, leading to 31 points for the Lakers, while Los Angeles committed only 11 turnovers that resulted in 22 points.
Doncic continued his dominant start to the season with 38 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and a steal. He shot 14-of-18 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line in 38 minutes. Austin Reaves added 24 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals, converting eight of his 11 free-throw attempts.
The loss marked Charlotte’s third straight defeat, dropping the team to 3-7 on the season. The Hornets will wrap up their two-game homestand Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks (7-4) before facing the same opponent again Friday on the road.
The Lakers, improving to 8-3, will continue their five-game road trip with a nationally televised matchup against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (10-1) on Wednesday night at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Bridges’ remarks add to a growing chorus of players questioning officiating consistency in games involving the Lakers, a topic that continues to draw attention around the league.
