<\/p>\n
The Miami Heat<\/a> already had their hands full with the Charlotte Hornets<\/a> in the 9-10 play-in game. Their task got tougher when they lost their best player to a highly questionable play.<\/p>\n Bam Adebayo<\/a> left with a back injury early in the second quarter after Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball<\/a> appeared to trip him. The Miami big man never returned in the Heat’s do-or-die game, forcing them to lean on heavily on Kel’el Ware<\/a> and sixth man Jaime Jaquez, Jr. in the 127-126 OT loss.<\/p>\n Heat coach Erik Spoelstra complained at length about the non-call, but the officials didn’t give Ball a common foul, much less a flagrant foul or a technical. The bang-bang play was a difficult call. Ball had just fallen to the floor after Simone Fontecchio blocked his shot, and Ball may not have realized Adebayo’s ankle was in his way as he pulled his left arm back to his body.<\/p>\n The Heat would argue that Ball knew exactly what he was doing and endangered Adebayo with his Cobra Kai-style arm sweep, sending him to the locker room. It looked worse in slow-motion, as Ball appeared to look right at Adebayo before yanking his ankle. No whistle blew, so the play continued with a Pelle Larsson layup and a dunk from Ball on the other end.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nLaMelo Ball’s play may not have been intentional<\/h2>\n