CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The NBA is investigating LaMelo Ball’s trip of Bam Adebayo that resulted in the Miami Heat star’s lower back injury during Tuesday’s play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charlotte won the game 127-126 in overtime, with Ball scoring the winning basket on a layup with 4.7 seconds left. Adebayo did not return after suffering the injury, playing just 11 minutes.
The league has contacted both the Hornets and the Heat and will interview Ball, sources told Charania.
The Hornets next play Friday against the loser of Wednesday night’s Philadelphia 76ers-Orlando Magic play-in game. It’s possible the Ball play is upgraded to a flagrant foul 1 or a flagrant foul 2, but there is doubt that it would rise to a suspension, sources told Charania.
The play occurred early in the second quarter.
After Ball had a shot blocked inside, Adebayo grabbed the rebound and tried to stay inbound. Ball fell near the Heat center and swiped at his foot, sending him falling to the floor hard with no whistle. Play ensued down the floor while Adebayo remained down. After Miami’s Pelle Larsson scored on a layup and Ball scored on a dunk, the Heat called for timeout with 10:58 left in the quarter.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the loss that Ball should have been ejected but that officials missed the play.
“I didn’t see it [when it happened], but I don’t think it’s cute,” Spoelstra said after the Heat missed the playoffs the first time since the 2018-19 season. “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. You should be penalized for that. I don’t think that belongs in the game. Tripping guys, shenanigans.”
Ball apologized twice after the Hornets’ win.
“I apologize on that one,” he said of the trip. “I got hit in the head [on the play] and didn’t really know where I was. But I’m going to check on him, see if he’s OK and everything.”
Official Zach Zarba said the crew could not review the play.
“The play wasn’t whistled in real time,” Zarba said to a pool reporter. “Play continued with a fast break. And because play wasn’t stopped immediately, and there was no whistle on the play, the window to review the play was closed. Play was stopped, after a change of possession, and then a time out. So, by rule, our window to review that play then is closed.”
Asked if the play should have risen to the level of a flagrant foul, Zarba said league operations will make that determination in the coming days.
After Tuesday’s play-in game, video resurfaced of another incident between Ball and Adebayo. In a Heat regular-season win on Jan. 14, 2024, Ball was on the floor and then appeared to intentionally reach for Adebayo’s leg as the Heat big man started to run up the court.
