Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo made his first comments since the incident with Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball.
The Miami Heat had their exit interviews on Thursday, so we got to hear from Bam Adebayo for the first time since his incident with Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball.
In the 9-10 play-in game in Charlotte, Ball pulled Adebayo's left foot on a rebound, sending Bam hard to the floor and injuring his lower back in the second quarter.
Adebayo, the Heat's best player, didn't return to the game, a contest the Hornets won.
The NBA fined Ball $35,000 for his trip of Adebayo. Ball was also fined $25,000 for cursing during his postgame interview on Amazon Prime with Cassidy Hubbarth.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters that Ball should have been ejected for the play. He was furious that the refs didn't look at Ball's play.
Spoelstra, though, agreed with the NBA's decision to not suspend Ball for the Hornets' next game against the Orlando Magic.
"I didn't think that he needed to be penalized more moving forward. I don't think that would make sense," Spoelstra said. "I don't think he's a dirty player. I just think, in that moment, all things can be true. It was a dirty play and a dangerous play. It should have been caught at that moment. But it wasn't and then, you know, you move on."
Ball hit the game-winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime after Tyler Herro hit three free throws to give the Heat a one-point lead. LaMelo finished with 30 points and 10 assists while shooting 12-of-31 from the field, 2-of-16 from beyond the arc and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
Ball is the fourth player with at least 30 points and 10 assists in a play-in game. The one-time All-Star has been on a tear since the All-Star break.
The Hornets haven't made the playoffs since 2016. They will be the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs if they beat the Magic on the road on Friday.
Hornets Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hornets. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.