NBA play-in: Heat's Bam Adebayo leaves with back injury after Hornets' LaMelo Ball grabbed his ankle on fall to ground

Bam Adebayo was in pain after falling to the court in the first half of Tuesday's Hornets-Heat play-in game.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Things got heated early in Tuesday’s play-in game between the Heat and Charlotte Hornets after a hard fall to the court by Miami’s Bam Adebayo.

Adebayo grabbed a rebound after a LaMelo Ball layup was blocked. As Adebayo landed near the baseline, Ball, on the ground, grabbed the back of Adebayo’s left ankle while Adebayo’s right leg was in the air.

Adebayo fell hard to the court and was in immediate pain.

He needed help up from the court and eventually walked to the locker room. The Heat listed him as questionable to return with a lower back injury.

No foul on LaMelo, no review of play

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, meanwhile, was heated on the Miami bench. Officials didn’t call a foul on Ball, and Spoelstra’s pleas to review the play for a potential flagrant foul went unheeded.

Referee Zach Zarba told the Amazon Prime broadcast that the play wasn’t eligible to be reviewed because it wasn’t immediately stopped, and there was a change of possession.

The Hornets led, 30-26 at the time of Adebayo’s injury early in the second quarter. He didn’t return in the first half, and the Heat went into halftime with a 54-52 lead. If he can’t return for the second half, the Heat would be at a significant disadvantage.

A three-time All-Star and a force on both sides of the court, Adebayo is the best big in the game and gives Miami an edge inside when he’s on the court. Adebayo had 6 points and 3 rebounds in 11 minutes at the time of his injury.

This story will be updated.