Erik Spoelstra rips LaMelo Ball for tripping Heat star Bam Adebayo
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was fired up after his team was eliminated from the NBA Playoffs by the Charlotte Hornets in Tuesday night’s Play-In Tournament game. The Heat lost in overtime, 127-126, after a game-winning shot by Hornets star LaMelo Ball . But that wasn’t the only big moment involving Ball in the game.
In the first half, Ball and Heat big man Bam Adebayo collided under the basket, which knocked Adebayo off balance. Ball then swiped at Adebayo’s foot and tripped him to the ground. MORE: 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament TV schedule, full list of games & tip times The incident resulted in Adebayo suffering a lower back injury , which kept him out for the remainder of the game.
Is this a dirty play by LaMelo? pic. twitter.
com/tPebBPDLDC — NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 15, 2026 Ball was not penalized on the play. After the game, Spoelstra sounded off on the incident during his post-game press conference and ripped Ball for the play and the referees for not calling a foul and kicking the Hornets star out of the game. — Watch NBA Play-In Tournament on Prime Video — “I don’t think it’s cute.
I don’t think it’s funny. I think it’s a stupid play. It’s a dangerous play,” Spoelstra told reporters.