In one of the wildest finishes of the NBA Play-In Tournament, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball delivered a dramatic final blow with a driving layup with 4.7 seconds remaining in overtime to secure a 127–126 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. Sending Charlotte forward and ending Miami’s postseason hopes.
Ball finished with a stellar all-around performance, recording 30 points and 10 assists, while Miles Bridges added 28 points and nine rebounds, including a game saving defensive play in the final seconds. Bridges chased down Davion Mitchell and blocked his potential game-winning layup attempt at the buzzer, igniting a frenzied celebration as the Hornets captured their first postseason home victory in a decade.
Charlotte now advances to face the loser of Wednesday’s matchup between Philadelphia and Orlando on Friday night, with the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot on the line. The Hornets are seeking their first playoff appearance in 10 years.
Ball appeared to put the Hornets in control late in overtime when his driving layup pushed Charlotte ahead by five points with just 26 seconds remaining. But the closing seconds quickly turned chaotic.
Tyler Herro responded with a twisting corner three-pointer, then capitalized after Ball committed a backcourt turnover and fouled him on another attempt from beyond the arc. Herro calmly sank all three free throws to give Miami a 126–125 lead with 8.7 seconds left.
After a timeout, Ball answered emphatically. He attacked the right side of the lane and finished a leaning right-handed layup to restore Charlotte’s lead. With no timeouts remaining, Miami raced up the floor—but Bridges’ emphatic block on Mitchell sealed the win and sent the Hornets bench spilling onto the court in celebration.
Ball flexed at midcourt as teammates mobbed him following the dramatic finish.
Charlotte also received a crucial boost from Coby White, who scored 19 points, including a clutch turnaround three-pointer with 10.8 seconds remaining in regulation that forced overtime.
White—acquired in a midseason trade from Chicago—played a pivotal role in shifting momentum during the second half. He banked in a three-pointer before knocking down another from the top of the key as part of a decisive 10–0 Hornets run late in the third quarter, then drained another triple at the buzzer to give Charlotte an 89–83 lead heading into the fourth.
Later, with the Hornets trailing in the final seconds of regulation, White struck again—catching an inbounds pass and burying an off-balance corner three to tie the game and extend Charlotte’s season.
Despite losing Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury in the second quarter after a collision with Ball, Miami remained resilient throughout the contest.
Mitchell led the Heat with 28 points, while Andrew Wiggins added 27, including two fourth-quarter three-pointers that helped Miami build a 102–95 advantage. Herro contributed 23 points, nearly delivering the win in regulation before his potential game-winner hit the back iron.
Miami controlled much of the game entering the second half, but Charlotte’s late surge proved decisive in the end.
With the victory, Charlotte keeps its postseason hopes alive and moves within one win of snapping a decade-long playoff absence. The Hornets’ young core—led by Ball’s playmaking brilliance and Bridges’ two-way impact—now heads on the road with momentum and belief after one of the most dramatic finishes of the play-in tournament.
