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Spoelstra: No need to penalize Ball any further
Erik Spoelstra supports no further penalties for LaMelo Ball after flagrant foul.
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Ball's clutch drive saves Hornets in frantic finish
TL;DR
LaMelo Ball scored a layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 127-126 victory over the Miami Heat, eliminating them from the playoffs. Ball finished with 30 points and 10 assists, marking the Hornets' first postseason home win in ten years.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- LaMelo Ball made a layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell's attempt at a winning layup at the buzzer, and the Charlotte Hornets beat Miami 127-126 in a wild start to the NBA's play-in games, eliminating the Heat from the playoffs on Tuesday night.
Ball finished with 30 points and 10 assists and Bridges had 28 points and nine rebounds as the Hornets won their first postseason home game in a decade. Coby White had 19 points, including a turnaround 3 with 10.8 second left in regulation to send the game to OT.
Ball became the fourth player with at least 30 points and 10 assists in a play-in game, joining Josh Giddey (2023 with Thunder), Kyrie Irving (2022 with Nets) and Damian Lillard (2020 with Trail Blazers).
Mitchell had 28 points and Andrew Wiggins added 27 for the Heat, who lost Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury when Ball tripped him in the second quarter.
The Hornets will travel to face the loser of Wednesday's matchup between Philadelphia and Orlando on Friday night for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is seeking its first playoff appearance in a decade.
The Heat will miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Ball's driving layup put the Hornets up by five with 26 seconds left in OT. But he made two critical mistakes after that.
Tyler Herro, who scored 23 points for Miami, hit a twisting, corner 3, and Ball then turned the ball over in the backcourt and fouled Herro on a 3-point shot. Herro made all three free throws to give Miami a 126-125 lead with 8.7 seconds left.
After a timeout, Ball drove the right side of the lane and made a leaning, right-handed layup to give Charlotte the lead. Miami, without any timeouts, pushed the ball up the court and Bridges chased down Mitchell to block his layup attempt, setting off a frenzied celebration.
Ball flexed at midcourt as players mobbed each other.
Despite the loss of Adebayo, the Heat remained in control until late in the third quarter, when White banked in a 3-pointer and then added another 3 at the top of the key as part of a 10-0 Charlotte run.
White, acquired in a midseason trade with Chicago, drained another 3 in the closing seconds of the third quarter to give Charlotte a 89-83 lead.
The Heat then built a 102-95 lead in the fourth quarter behind two 3s from Wiggins.
The Hornets tied it when White caught an inbounds pass and made a unbalanced 3 from the corner. Herro had a chance to win it in regulation but hit the back iron on a 3-point try.
The Associated Press and ESPN Research contributed to this report.
Q&A
What was the final score of the Hornets vs. Heat play-in game?
The final score was 127-126 in favor of the Charlotte Hornets.
Who were the standout players in the Hornets' victory over the Heat?
LaMelo Ball scored 30 points and had 10 assists, while Miles Bridges contributed 28 points and 9 rebounds.
What are the Hornets' next steps after defeating the Heat?
The Hornets will face the loser of the Philadelphia vs. Orlando matchup for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
