Hornets stun Heat

Charlotte beat Miami 127-126 in overtime on Tuesday night in the Eastern Conference play-in, ending the Heat’s season and sending the Hornets on to one more elimination game. (apnews.com) The game turned twice in the final minute. Coby White hit a tying three-pointer with 10.8 seconds left in regulation, then LaMelo Ball scored the go-ahead layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime. (nba.com) Miles Bridges sealed it on the last possession, blocking Davion Mitchell’s layup attempt at the buzzer after Miami pushed the ball up the floor without a timeout. Ball finished with 30 points and 10 assists, and Bridges added 28 points and nine rebounds. (nba.com) The play-in tournament gives the teams that finish seventh through 10th in each conference a path to the final two playoff spots. Charlotte entered as the East’s No. 9 seed and had to win Tuesday just to reach Friday’s game for the No. 8 seed. (espn.com) Miami came in as the No. 10 seed at 43-39 and left with its season over. Charlotte, listed at 44-38 entering the matchup, kept alive its bid for the franchise’s first playoff appearance in a decade. (espn.com) (nba.com) White’s late shot was the swing that gave Charlotte another chance. He finished with 19 points, including the off-balance corner three off an inbounds play that erased Miami’s three-point lead in the final seconds of regulation. (nba.com) Miami lost Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury in the second quarter after Ball tripped him, and the Heat had to finish the game without one of their top interior players. Davion Mitchell led Miami with 28 points, Andrew Wiggins scored 27, and Tyler Herro added 23. (nba.com) The Hornets now move on to face the loser of Wednesday’s Philadelphia-Orlando game on Friday for the East’s eighth and final playoff berth. Miami’s run stops here, one possession after White’s save and Bridges’ block flipped the bracket. (nba.com)