The Miami Heat will replay the game against the Charlotte Hornets over and over. Their season came to an end on a game-winner from LaMelo Ball. But before it got that close, the Heat had to endure a major blow that affected proceedings. They lost Bam Adebayo in the first half to a bizarre injury.

The incident took place in the second quarter. Ball had his shot blocked and went to the ground. Just as that happened, he clashed into Adebayo’s lower half. In an effort to keep the ball alive, the Heat center tripped and landed right on his tailbone. The Heat star immediately grimaced in pain.

It was clear that something was wrong.

The medical staff came to check on Bam Adebayo. They ultimately decided it was best for the 28-year-old to head to the locker room for further evaluation. Adebayo had scored 6 points, making all three of his shots in his 11 minutes on the court. He practically only played the first quarter in the Heat’s most important game of the season.

Heat fans felt that LaMelo Ball intentionally grabbed onto Adebayo’s leg as he fell down. The Hornets star did make contact, which put the Heat star in an awkward position. Some fans thought it should have been looked at further with a possible flagrant foul call. However, officials didn’t deem Ball’s involvement in the incident as unnatural at first glance. They never went to the monitor to watch it over from a better vantage point.

Without their defensive anchor, the Heat suffered a painful loss in overtime.

LaMelo Ball hits the dagger to send the Hornets through

The young Charlotte Hornets put up a valiant display against a disciplined Miami Heat team. They went through a rough patch. After taking an early lead, Miami managed to curb their momentum. They outscored the Hornets 31-25 in the fourth to force overtime. Even without Bam Adebayo, the Heat managed themselves fantastically.

They shot 47.6% from the field and made 16 threes. Furthermore, the Heat turned the ball over just seven times, while connecting on 32 assists. They played a splendid game for being down one Bam Adebayo. Andrew Wiggins added 27 points while point guard Davion Mitchell scored 28.

The Hornets still managed to go toe-to-toe with the Heat. LaMelo Ball led the way with a game-high 30 points. That included a game-winning layup with under five seconds left in overtime to seal the game for Charlotte. But it wouldn’t have been possible without Miles Bridges. The veteran forward scored 13 of his 28 in the fourth quarter and overtime, helping the Hornets survive Miami’s late flurry.

Coby White and Brandon Miller also combined for 42 points and 10 threes made between them.

The job is still far from done for Charlotte. They’ll face the loser between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic to fight for a spot in the playoffs. If they succeed, it would mark their first time making it to the postseason since 2016. At least they are one step closer, and looked like a team turning a corner.