Ball hero and villain as Hornets sting Heat to lift postseason curse

LaMelo Ball's late-game heroics and a critical foul break a 12-game postseason curse for the Charlotte Hornets in a dramatic victory over Miami. | Contesto: cronaca

Punti chiave

• Ball hero and villain as Hornets sting Heat to lift postseason curse

Contesto

LaMelo Ball delivered a game-winning three-pointer with 4.2 seconds remaining and then drew a decisive offensive foul on Miami's Jimmy Butler to seal a 104-103 victory for the Charlotte Hornets in a pulsating Play-In Tournament game on Tuesday night. The win, secured at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, propels the Hornets into a final elimination game against the Atlanta Hawks for the right to enter the NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conference's eighth seed. For the Miami Heat, the defeat marks a stunning and abrupt end to their season, eliminating them from championship contention. The final sequence encapsulated Ball's dual role as both hero and antagonist. After sinking a deep three-pointer over Butler to give Charlotte the lead, Ball immediately positioned himself defensively on the ensuing inbound play. As Butler drove hard to the basket seeking a potential game-winning shot or foul, Ball absorbed the contact and fell to the floor. Officials whistled Butler for an offensive foul, a call confirmed after a tense video review, extinguishing the Heat's last hope and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. The victory shattered one of the most persistent and dubious records in the NBA. Entering the contest, the Charlotte franchise was 0-12 all-time in win-or-go-home postseason games, a streak of futility that spanned multiple eras and rosters. That historical weight hung over the game until the final buzzer, with the Hornets repeatedly battling back from deficits against the more experienced, physically imposing Heat lineup. The curse, a frequent topic of discussion among fans and analysts, has finally been lifted. The game was a brutal, defensive struggle emblematic of the high-stakes Play-In environment. Miami, led by Butler's 32 points, controlled the tempo for long stretches, leveraging their trademark physicality. Charlotte, however, countered with balanced scoring and resilient defense, refusing to yield despite the historical precedent working against them. Ball finished with 28 points and 8 assists, but his supporting cast, including key contributions from Miles Bridges and a defensive masterclass from veteran Gordon Hayward on Butler for...

Lettura DEO

Decisione di validazione: publish

Risk score: 0.0

Il testo è stato ricostruito dai dati editoriali disponibili senza aggiungere fatti non presenti nel record sorgente.

Indicatore di affidabilità

Verificata — Alta confidenza. Fonti affidabili confermano la notizia.

Il sistema a semaforo

Ogni articolo su DEO include un indicatore di affidabilità:

• 🟢 Verificata — Alta confidenza. Fonti affidabili confermano la notizia.
• 🟡 In evoluzione — Confidenza moderata. Alcuni dettagli potrebbero ancora cambiare.
• 🔴 Contestata — Bassa confidenza. Fonti in conflitto o incertezze rilevanti.

Questo sistema esiste perché chi legge merita di sapere non solo cosa è successo, ma anche quanto la notizia è solida.

Categoria: cronaca