The Miami Heat were eliminated from the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday night following a 127-126 overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets. A controversial injury to Bam Adebayo and a late LaMelo Ball layup sealed Miami's fate in a back-and-forth battle.
Leading scorers Tyler Herro and Norman Powell are expected back in the lineup for Tuesday's critical matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The Heat are fighting to improve their 10th-seed positioning in the final four games of the regular season.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra issued a blunt defense of the team's tactics during Bam Adebayo's 83-point explosion, the second-highest scoring game in NBA history. The performance comes as Miami continues to navigate a mounting injury list including Tyler Herro and Norman Powell.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo made history this week by scoring 83 points in a win over the Washington Wizards, surpassing Kobe Bryant for the second-most points in a single game. The performance included NBA-record marks for free throws made and attempted, sparking both celebration and debate across the league.