The Charlotte Hornets hosted the Miami Heat in North Carolina for the first matchup of the NBA Play-In Tournament. Winner gets a shot at the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed.
LaMelo Ball and the Hornets had a bit of a scare late in the fourth quarter, as they were playing keep-up with the Heat for some time. The Hornets managed to claw back and force overtime.
GettyCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 21: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets brings the ball up court in the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during their game at Spectrum Center on January 21, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
Although Ball made a costly mistake in overtime, turning the ball over and giving the Heat an opportunity to go to the line, the veteran star made up for it in the end.
After the game, Ball reacted to his team’s major win at home.
LaMelo Ball Speaks On The Hornets’ Victory Over Miami
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 12: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts to a play during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 12, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images)
âWe just stuck with it. We stuck with it. We grinded out. Then we wasn’t hitting our threes. All the shots we wasn’t hitting. But like I said, we stuck with it,” Ball told the Amazon Prime broadcast after the game.
The veteran guard was also brutally honest about his mistake down the stretch, while describing his mindset in crunch time.
â[I was thinking] I just gotta win the game. I feel like I just f***** the game up. So, Iâm like, itâs my fault. I got to make it work,” he added.
The Hornets defeated the Heat with a 127-126 win. Ball finished the night after checking in for a total of 40 minutes.
The veteran guard shot 12-31 from the field, and struggled from deep with just two makes out of 16 attempts. Ball wrapped up the game with 30 points. He produced a double-double with 10 assists and came down with five rebounds.
The Hornets will get the next two days off to regroup. On Friday, April 17, Charlotte will be back on the court to face the loser of the seven-seed matchup on Wednesday night. The Philadelphia 76ers are hosting the Orlando Magic.
As for the Heat, that’s a wrap for their season. They wrap up the year with a 43-39 record, losing their one and only postseason matchup.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post LaMelo Ball Gives Honest Reaction to Hornets-Heat Play-In Thriller appeared first on Heavy Sports.