LaMelo Ball Punishment Revealed After Hornets Star Trips Bam Adebayo in Hornets-Heat Play-In Game

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $35,000 and assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for tripping Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo during Charlotte's 127-126 play-in tournament win on Tuesday evening.

He was also fined $25,000 for using profanity during a postgame television interview.

The play occurred early in the second quarter. Ball went up for a layup but got blocked by Simone Fontecchio. As he was falling to the court, Ball grabbed at Adebayo's ankle, who was corralling the ball following the block. Adebayo passed the ball to Fontecchio as he fell out-of-bounds and went to the floor.

Adebayo suffered a lower back injury as the result of the play and did not return.

No foul was called in real time. Crew chief Zach Zarba explained via the pool report why the action wasn't reviewed.

As for the game, Ball had an eventful one with 30 points (albeit while making just 2-of-16 three-point shots) and 10 assists. He had a rough stretch in overtime, turning the ball over while the Hornets led by two and later fouling Heat guard Tyler Herro on a three-point attempt, leading to Miami taking a 126-125 lead.

None of that mattered, though, as Ball hit the game-winning layup and Miles Bridges got a big block on the other end for the victory.

Ball spoke about his tumultuous ending, with the profanity leading to a fine.

"I just gotta win the game I feel like I just f--ked the game up so I'm like it's my fault," he said in his postgame interview. "I gotta make it work."

The moment with Adebayo got attention after the game, though. Ball addressed it.

"I apologize on that one," Ball told reporters after the game. "I got hit in the head, didn't really know where I was, but I'mma check on him and see if he's okay and everything."

Heat heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters postgame that he thought Ball should have been tossed. "It's a dangerous play…That's a shame. He should be penalized for that. I don't think that belongs in the game, tripping guys...He should've been thrown out of the game for that."

NBA insider Chris Haynes reported after the game that the NBA was reviewing the play and would have a ruling before the Hornets' next play-in game.

That has now happened. Most notably, Ball will be available to play when the Hornets visit the Orlando Magic on Friday evening. The winner will get the No. 8 seed and play the Detroit Pistons in the first round.