As the Miami Heat fought through the second half and overtime during the NBA Play-In matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, they missed their veteran center, Bam Adebayo.
At halftime, the Heat wondered if their star big man would make it back out on the floor after taking a hard fall on his big. The worst part about it? Adebayo’s leg was grabbed by Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball in that moment.
The Hornets’ superstar gained a lot of negative attention for his involvement in the play. At halftime of the matchup, Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem spoke on Ball. The three-time NBA Champion defended the sharpshooter.
What Did Udonis Haslem Say About LaMelo Ball?
“Obviously, emotions are flying,” Haslem said on Tuesday.
“Everybody is competing at a high level for a loose ball. Bam goes to grab the loose ball off LaMelo, and LaMelo grabs Bam’s leg. What I will say is LaMelo is not a dirty player. I don’t think he meant to do that intentionally to hurt Bam. In the height of the moment, everything is going on, sometimes you make decisions—split-second decisions—I think he made a split-second decision.”
Ball and the Hornets didn’t face punishment in any way. While Haslem doesn’t believe it was a dirty play, he still felt that a foul could’ve been called, as the referee was right there in plain sight.
“The unfortunate thing is the ref is sitting right there,” Haslem said. “That’s got to be a call. I don’t know if it’s a flagrant or a regular foul or whatever, that’s up to the referee’s discretion, but I think something has to be called at that point in the game. That’s a huge play to miss.”
Haslem was forgiving from a distance. His former head coach, Erik Spoelstra, was not. After the game, the head coach made a strong statement on the play.
Erik Spoelstra’s Reaction To LaMelo Ball
“I didn’t see it, but 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. Obviously, our best player is out. I’m not making an excuse. The Hornets played great, and they made those plays down the stretch. We had opportunities to win. It’s a shame, he should be penalized for that,” Spoelstra told reporters.
I don’t think that belongs in the game, you know, tripping guys. [The referee] was there, and it’s his responsibility to see that. Somebody’s got to see that. He should’ve been thrown out of the game for that.”
Adebayo wouldn’t return for the Heat on Tuesday night. The veteran center finished with just 11 minutes played. He had six points on 3-3 shooting from the field, along with three rebounds.
The Heat fell short in an overtime thriller against the Hornets. A 127-126 loss sends the Heat home for good. The Hornets will prepare for a Friday night battle against the Philadelphia 76ers or the Orlando Magic.