Amazon Prime’s stream crashed in overtime of Tuesday’s NBA play-in tournament opener and Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball punched the team’s mascot not once, but twice, and that’s the least of the league’s worries after the Miami Heat’s season-ending loss.
The NBA is now reviewing a second-quarter play in which Ball appeared to reach out and trip Heat center Bam Adebayo.
The incident occurred after Ball crashed at Adebayo’s feet about two minutes into the frame. With Adebayo trying to regain his balance on one foot, Ball is seen reaching back and grabbing the Heat star by the ankle, causing him to fall to the floor. Adebayo would leave the game with a back injury, while Ball wasn’t even whistled for a foul. Miami, meanwhile, went on to lose in overtime, 127-126.
As reported by Yahoo! Sports, the league is now reviewing the incident with a ruling expected before the Hornets’ next play-in game on Friday. The Daily Mail has reached out to the league for confirmation.
‘I apologize on that one,’ Ball told reporters after the game. ‘I got hit in the head, didn’t really know where I was, but I’mma check on him and see if he’s okay and everything.’
While Ball has apologized, everyone from fans to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is fuming over the incident.
Ball crashed at Adebayo’s feet about two minutes into the second quarter. With Adebayo trying to regain his balance on one foot, Ball is seen reaching back and grabbing his ankle
LaMelo Ball expressed some regret afterwards, while claiming the moment was unintentional
‘I don’t think it’s cute,’ Spoelstra told reporters. ‘I don’t think it’s funny. I think it’s a stupid play. It’s a dangerous play. Obviously, our best player was out. I’m not making an excuse. The Hornets played great, and they made those plays down the stretch. We had our opportunities to win. That’s a shame.
‘[Ball] should be penalized for that,’ Spoelstra continued. ‘I don’t think that belongs in the game, tripping guys, shenanigans. [Official Curtis Blair] was there. It’s his responsibility to see that. And if it’s not his responsibility, then [official Zach Zarba] has got to see it. Somebody has got to see that. He should have been thrown out of the game for that. I don’t know him from anyone. There’s no place in the game for that.’
Smith, meanwhile, is calling for the league to come down on Ball, who was seen tripping Adebayo during a similar play earlier this year.
‘There definitely should be a punishment coming down the pike…it’s important for the league to send a message moving forward, that stuff is not going to be tolerated at all, and they’re gonna be a bit extreme,’ Smith said Wednesday.
And fans weren’t any happier.
Due to the Heat’s loss, this would prove to be the final image of Bam Adebayo in 2025-26
‘Unprofessional and cheap,’ one wrote on X.
‘Without a doubt, directly resulted in an injury,’ another added. ‘Total disaster by the refs.’
One fan wrote: ‘This is 100% dirty and LaMelo should have been tossed. That’s disgraceful.’
Many others felt officials should have given a flagrant 2 call, thereby ejecting Ball from the game.
Ball, who recently crashed his camouflaged Hummer in downtown Charlotte, was later seen punching the Hornets’ mascot twice after hitting the game-winning shot.
‘Everyone driving in Charlotte after the game please be careful,’ one fan joked after the game. ‘[LaMelo is] going to be out all night.’
The Hornets will play next against the loser of Wednesday night’s Orlando-Philadelphia game for the right to advance to the NBA playoffs.
