Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball has been fined by the NBA.
The NBA has fined Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball $35,000 for his trip of Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo during the 9-10 NBA play-in game in Charlotte on Tuesday.
Ball has also been fined $25,000 for cursing during his postgame interview on Amazon Prime with Cassidy Hubbarth.
So that's $60,000 in fines for Ball.
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.
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.
"I didn't see it [when it happened], but I don't think it's cute," Spoelstra said. "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 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.
"We drew up a good play, I feel like, and just orchestrated it," Ball said about hit game-winning shot. "It worked."
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 Orlando Magic.
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.