04/14/26 09:52:00
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04/14 21:50 CDT LaMelo Ball's layup, Miles Bridges' block at buzzer give
Hornets 127-126 win over Heat in play-in
LaMelo Ball's layup, Miles Bridges' block at buzzer give Hornets 127-126 win
over Heat in play-in
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) --- LaMelo Ball made a layup with 4.7 seconds left in
overtime, Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell's attempt at a winning layup at
the buzzer, and the Charlotte Hornets beat Miami 127-126 in a wild start to the
NBA's play-in games, eliminating the Heat from the playoffs on Tuesday night.
Ball finished with 30 points and 10 assists and Bridges had 28 points and nine
rebounds as the Hornets won their first postseason home game in a decade. Coby
White had 19 points, including a turnaround 3 with 10.8 second left in
regulation to send the game to OT.
Mitchell scored 28 points and Andrew Wiggins added 27 for the Heat, who lost
Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury when Ball tripped him in the second quarter.
The Hornets will travel to face the loser of Wednesday's matchup between
Philadelphia and Orlando on Friday night for the eighth and final playoff spot
in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is seeking its first playoff appearance in
a decade.
Ball's driving layup put the Hornets up by five with 26 seconds left in OT. But
he made two critical mistakes after that.
Tyler Herro, who scored 23 points for Miami, hit a twisting, corner 3, and Ball
then turned the ball over in the backcourt and fouled Herro on a 3-point shot.
Herro made all three free throws to give Miami a 126-125 lead with 8.7 seconds
left.
After a timeout, Ball drove the right side of the lane and made a leaning,
right-handed layup to give Charlotte the lead. Miami, without any timeouts,
pushed the ball up the court and Bridges chased down Mitchell to block his
layup attempt, setting off a frenzied celebration.
Ball flexed at midcourt as players mobbed each other.
Despite the loss of Adebayo, the Heat remained in control until late in the
third quarter, when White banked in a 3-pointer and then added another 3 at the
top of the key as part of a 10-0 Charlotte run.
White, acquired in a midseason trade with Chicago, drained another 3 in the
closing seconds of the third quarter to give Charlotte a 89-83 lead.
The Heat then built a 102-95 lead in the fourth quarter behind two 3s from
Wiggins.
The Hornets tied it when White caught an inbounds pass and made a unbalanced 3
from the corner. Herro had a chance to win it in regulation but hit the back
iron on a 3-point try.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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