LaMelo Ball leads Hornets to thrilling OT win over Heat in NBA play-in matchup

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte[/a] had never won a win-or-go-home postseason game in 12 previous attempts and looked in danger of extending that record after blowing a 125-120 lead with 26 seconds remaining to allow [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami[/a] to edge ahead [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/charlotte-hornets-xftMikUg/miami-heat-CQ7AXnT5/?mid=nu8AhKz3"]126-125[/a].[/p][p]After Miami star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/herro-tyler/vexEQBs9/"]Tyler Herro[/a] had sunk a superb corner three-pointer to make it 125-123, Ball carelessly turned over possession and then gave away three free throws with a rash lunge on Herro.[/p][p]Herro drained all three shots to give Miami the lead with just nine seconds left.[/p][p]Ball, though, made amends with a determined driving layup to make it 127-126 before an athletic block from Miles [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bridges-mikal/hCRWwI1R/"]Bridges[/a] snuffed out Miami's last-gasp attempt to win it.[/p][embed guid="e9033c4d-ba50-4569-9969-525eea9c3a84" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2044241389815279687?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"We stuck with it and ground it out," [/b]Ball said. [b]"We weren't hitting our threes, all the shots weren't hitting, but we stuck with it.[/b]"[/p][p]Ball was at the centre of controversy over an incident in the second quarter, which led to Miami star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/adebayo-bam/IPZuNhhs/"]Bam Adebayo[/a] hobbling out of the game.[/p][p]After being blocked during a drive to the basket, Ball reached out and tripped Adebayo with a tug on his standing leg, sending the Miami star crashing to the hardwood. He played no further part in the game.[/p][embed guid="6ef99fdf-21d0-4132-88c0-563275e23894" url="https://x.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/2044218599695396937?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was furious that Ball escaped an ejection.[/p][p][b]"The referees are there for what? How did they not see that? I don't want this to be an excuse, Charlotte was incredible at the end,"[/b] Spoelstra fumed.[/p][p][b]"I don't think that's cute. I don't think it's funny. I think it's a stupid play. It's a dangerous play. Our best player is out.[/b][/p][p][b]"([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ball-lamelo/fskMOC1n/"]LaMelo[/a]) should be penalized for that. I don't think that belongs in the game, tripping guys, shenanigans. Someone has got to see that. And he should have been thrown out of the game for that."[/b][/p][embed guid="a8e38e87-f2cc-4213-b667-8d199b17a1b8" url="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/2044223575406555448?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The victory means Charlotte, beaten in their two previous appearances in the play-in tournament in 2021 and 2022, remain alive in the postseason while Miami are eliminated.[/p][p]Charlotte will face the loser of Wednesday's Eastern Conference play-in game between the eighth-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-magic/QZMS36Dn/"]Orlando Magic[/a] and seventh-seeded [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia 76ers[/a].[/p][p]The reward for the winner of that game on Friday is a first-round playoff series against top seeds [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit[/a].[/p][p]Ball finished with 30 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds, while Bridges added 28 points and nine rebounds. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/white-coby/hQrM0e6C/"]Coby White[/a] had a crucial 19-point contribution from the bench, making five of eight three-pointers.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-davion/fk03doeH/"]Davion Mitchell[/a] led Miami's scorers with 28 points while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wiggins-andrew/Aynkhe8Q/"]Andrew Wiggins[/a] added 27 and Herro 23.[/p][embed guid="a2224e11-f414-48ee-9e38-7174287887f5" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2044251144487149721?s=20" social-type="twitter" /]