{"id":319102,"date":"2026-04-15T17:09:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T11:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=319102"},"modified":"2026-04-15T17:09:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T11:39:38","slug":"bam-adebayo-injured-spoelstra-says-ball-must-have-been-ejected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/15\/bam-adebayo-injured-spoelstra-says-ball-must-have-been-ejected\/","title":{"rendered":"Bam Adebayo injured, Spoelstra says Ball must have been ejected"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) lies on the court in the course of the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo\/Nell Redmond)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2014 Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said LaMelo Ball must have been ejected for tripping Bam Adebayo, resulting in a lower back injury that knocked the Heat\u2019s star center out of Tuesday night\u2019s 127-126 play-in tournament loss to the Charlotte Hornets.<\/p>\n

Ball fell to the ground after missing a shot on a drive to the basket early within the second quarter, and appeared to achieve out together with his left arm and grab Adebayo\u2019s left leg, causing the large man to fall on his back.<\/p>\n

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READ: NBA: Hornets knock off Heat in wild play-in finish<\/h4>\n
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Erik Spoelstra on LaMelo Ball tripping Bam Adebayo:<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not think it’s cute, I do not think it’s funny, it is a dangerous play \u2026 He must be penalized for that \u2026 Anyone’s got to see that. He should’ve been thrown out of the sport for that.”pic.twitter.com\/EXEOTzG3nG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Ball was not called for a foul, and Adebayo remained on the ground as play continued. He eventually got up and walked to the locker room under his own power but didn’t return.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe must have been thrown out of the sport for that,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cThere is no such thing as a place in the sport for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adebayo didn’t speak to reporters.<\/p>\n

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Ball, who scored 30 points and made the go-ahead layup with 4.7 seconds left in additional time, apologized for his role in Adebayo\u2019s injury but said he was disoriented because he had been hit in the top on the drive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI apologize on that one,\u201d Ball said. \u201cI got hit in the top and didn\u2019t really know where I used to be. But I\u2019m going to examine on him and see if he’s OK and all the things.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ: NBA playoffs seeding, play-in games are set<\/h4>\n

When asked if he intentionally grabbed Adebayo\u2019s leg, Ball said he hadn\u2019t seen a replay and added, \u201cLike I said, I got hit in the top and didn\u2019t know where I used to be and was just playing basketball. But like I said, sorry, and I\u2019m going to examine on him.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ball remained in the sport and was not immediately checked for a concussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s cute, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s funny,\u201d Spoelstra said after the loss, which ended Miami\u2019s season. \u201cI feel it\u2019s a silly play. It\u2019s a dangerous play and clearly our greatest player was out. I\u2019m not making an excuse. The Hornets played great and made those plays down the stretch. We had opportunities to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a shame. He must be penalized for that. I don\u2019t think that belongs in the sport, you recognize, tripping guys, shenanigans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Official Zach Zarba explained in a pool report why the play was not reviewed.<\/p>\n

READ: NBA: Spoelstra unapologetic after Bam Adebayo\u2019s 83-point game<\/h4>\n

\u201cThe play wasn\u2019t whistled in real time. Play continued with a quick break. And since play wasn\u2019t stopped immediately, and there was no whistle on the play, the window to review the play was closed,\u201d Zarba said. \u201cPlay was stopped, after a change of possession, after which a timeout. So, by rule, our window to review that play then is closed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zarba said the officiating crew reviewed the play at halftime.<\/p>\n

When asked if Ball must have been assessed a flagrant foul, Zarba said, \u201cAt this point, that goes to league operations, they usually\u2019ll make a determination on that in the approaching days. So, they are going to make that determination and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ball had just one flagrant foul this season, on Feb. 5 against Houston.<\/p>\n

Andrew Wiggins said seeing Adebayo go down was a \u201cgut punch\u201d for the Heat.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo lose the leader of the team, the captain of the team, seeing him go down was definitely tough and guys needed to rally around that,\u201d Wiggins said.<\/p>\n

Despite the lack of Adebayo, who scored 83 points in a game last month, Miami had a likelihood to win at the tip of regulation, but Tyler Herro missed a 3-pointer from the highest of the important thing.<\/p>\n

In additional time, Herro put the Heat up by one when he made three free throws with 8.7 seconds left after getting fouled by Ball following a Hornets turnover. Before that play, Herro hit a turnaround corner 3.<\/p>\n

But Ball\u2019s driving layup saved the day for the Hornets.<\/p>\n

Miami\u2019s Davion Mitchell said he hadn\u2019t seen video of the play where Adebayo was hurt, but called it a \u201chigh-intensity game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t grab no one\u2019s ankle, but I grabbed any individual\u2019s shirt,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cI just think it was only a physical game because we were each fighting for our lives just to remain in. Obviously you don\u2019t wish to see Bam get hurt, especially like that, however it was a physical game.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n