Charlotte Hornets continue to dream of returning to the playoffs with the madness of LaMelo Ball

The Charlotte Hornets signed one of the most exciting nights of the season by defeating the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime of the play-in, eliminating the Florida team and keeping their dream of returning to the NBA playoffs alive.

The main character was LaMelo Ball, who finished with 30 points and 10 assists and decided the game with a layup with 4.7 seconds remaining. His performance puts him in a select group of players with at least 30 points and 10 assists in a play-in, along with Josh Giddey, Kyrie Irving, and Damian Lillard.

The game was a constant exchange of blows. Miles Bridges contributed 28 points and nine rebounds, in addition to the decisive block on Davion Mitchell in the final play. Coby White was also crucial, scoring 19 points, including a turnaround three-pointer with 10.8 seconds left that forced overtime.

Miami, despite Bam Adebayo's absence due to a back injury in the second quarter, competed until the end. Davion Mitchell led with 28 points, Andrew Wiggins added 27, and Tyler Herro contributed 23.

The conclusion was chaotic. Ball put Charlotte five points ahead in overtime, but two mistakes on his part reinvigorated Miami. Herro scored a corner three-pointer and then, after a turnover and foul by Ball, made three free throws to put the Heat ahead (126-125) with 8.7 seconds left.

After a timeout, Ball attacked the right side of the basket and scored a forced layup that gave the lead back to the Hornets. With no timeouts left, Miami raced up the court, but Bridges appeared to make the definitive block on Mitchell in the final moment.

Before that, the game had already produced several twists. Charlotte reacted in the third quarter with a 10-0 run led by White, who hit multiple three-pointers to turn the tide. In the fourth quarter, Miami responded with a run that gave them a 102-95 lead after two Wiggins three-pointers.

Final Madness

In the final seconds of regulation, White reappeared with another off-balance three-pointer to tie the game, while Herro missed the winning attempt at the buzzer.

With this victory, the Hornets secure their first postseason home win in a decade and will compete for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot against the loser of the matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic. Meanwhile, the Heat miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Charlotte Hornets sigue soñando con volver a playoffs con locura de LaMelo Ball