LaMelo Ball made a layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell’s game-winning layup attempt at the buzzer, and the Charlotte Hornets They beat Miami 127-126 on Tuesday night in a frenetic start to the NBA playoff games, eliminating the Heat from the playoffs.
Ball finished with 30 points and 10 assists, and Bridges had 28 points and nine rebounds, as the Hornets won their first home postseason game in a decade. Coby White added 19 points, including a jump-and-roll 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.
Mitchell scored 28 points and Andrew Wiggins added 27 for the Heat, who lost Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury when Ball tripped him in the second quarter.
The Hornets will travel to face the loser of Wednesday’s matchup between Philadelphia and Orlando on Friday night for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is seeking its first playoff appearance in a decade.
