LaMelo Ball's layup with 4.7 seconds lifts Hornets past Heat in OT
AP News • • sports
Key Points:
- LaMelo Ball scored 30 points and made a crucial layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, leading the Charlotte Hornets to a 127-126 victory over the Miami Heat in the NBA play-in game.
- Miles Bridges contributed 28 points and blocked Davion Mitchell's last-second layup attempt, securing the Hornets' first postseason home win in a decade and eliminating the Heat from the playoffs.
- Miami's Bam Adebayo exited the game with a lower back injury after a collision with Ball, but the Heat stayed competitive with strong performances from Mitchell (28 points), Andrew Wiggins (27), and Tyler Herro (23).
- Charlotte will face the loser of the Philadelphia-Orlando matchup for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, aiming for their first playoff appearance in ten years.
- The game featured multiple lead changes and clutch plays, including Coby White's key three-pointers that helped send the game into overtime and keep the Hornets in contention.
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