LaMelo Ball hurt Bam Adebayo by tripping him in NBA play-in, and Erik Spoelstra’s response says it all

The Heat and Hornets gave us an instant classic to kick off the NBA Playoffs with their overtime thriller, but the conversation following the game was understandably focused on an ugly moment which happened at the start of the second quarter. LaMelo Ball was driving to the basket when he fell to the ground on some light contact. Bam Adebayo recovered the ball, tried to keep it inbounds on one leg, when Ball tripped the Heat star, causing him to fall hard and be forced out of the game with a lower back injury.

The play where Bam Adebayo got taken out. LaMelo Ball was complaining to the referees afterward. pic.

twitter. com/xbKAhslFHB — Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) April 15, 2026 The incident has been hotly debated. The angle above is damning, and it appears clear that Ball tripped Adebayo on purpose.

Another angle from behind the play is less conclusive, looking more like LaMelo was flailing while complaining for a foul, and happened to pull Adebayo’s ankle as a result. Further muddying the water was a lack of a foul on the play, with a referee standing right at the baseline , but not making a call. Adebayo was listed as questionable to return with a lower back injury and was later downgraded to being out — playing only 11 minutes.