Trip under review after injury
The NBA is formally reviewing a play that left Miami’s Bam Adebayo hurt after LaMelo Ball appeared to trip him in a play‑in game — the move wasn’t called a foul during the contest. Yahoo Sports reported the league is examining the incident and that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra pressed for a replay review at the time. (sports.yahoo.com)
The National Basketball Association is reviewing whether LaMelo Ball’s trip of Bam Adebayo in Tuesday’s play-in game should be upgraded and punished after Adebayo left hurt. (sports.yahoo.com) The play came early in the second quarter of Charlotte’s 127-126 overtime win over Miami on April 14, when Adebayo grabbed a rebound near the baseline and fell hard after Ball, on the floor, caught his leg. Adebayo was later ruled out with a lower back injury after playing 11 minutes. (espn.com) Yahoo Sports reported the league is weighing whether the no-call should become a Flagrant 1 or Flagrant 2 and whether extra discipline is warranted before Charlotte’s next play-in game on Friday, April 17. ESPN reported the league has contacted both teams and plans to interview Ball. (sports.yahoo.com) (espn.com) Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said after the loss that Ball “should have been ejected,” and he said the missed call took the Heat’s best player out of an elimination game. The defeat ended Miami’s season and left Charlotte alive in the Eastern Conference play-in bracket. (apnews.com) (nba.com) The replay dispute turned on a timing rule. National Basketball Association instant replay can be used to review whether a called personal foul met flagrant standards, but referee Zach Zarba said this play could not be reviewed because there was no whistle, play continued, possession changed, and Miami called timeout only afterward. (official.nba.com) (espn.com) That left the league office to handle the question after the game instead of the crew handling it on the floor. Zarba said league operations would decide in the coming days whether the contact rose to the level of a flagrant foul. (espn.com) Ball said he “apologize[d] on that one” and said he had been hit in the head on the play and “didn’t really know where I was.” He also said he would check on Adebayo. (espn.com) Charlotte’s timing gives the review immediate stakes. The Hornets, who were the No. 9 seed, advanced by beating No. 10 Miami and are scheduled to play again Friday against the loser of Wednesday’s Philadelphia 76ers-Orlando Magic game for the East’s No. 8 playoff spot. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) The league’s decision will determine whether Tuesday’s missed whistle stays a missed whistle or becomes a postgame penalty with Charlotte’s season still on the line. (sports.yahoo.com)
