Bam Adebayo Suffers Back Injury Following Reckless Trip by LaMelo Ball

Heat captain Bam Adebayo sustained a lower back injury during a play-in loss to the Hornets after being tripped by LaMelo Ball. The incident forced Adebayo out of the game, which Miami eventually lost in overtime. Coach Erik Spoelstra condemned the play as "dangerous." Following a league review, the NBA assessed Ball a Flagrant 2 foul for "unnecessary and reckless contact," noting the play created a significant injury risk for the Miami center during the high-stakes contest.