Ball, Bridges deliver in OT Play-In thriller as Hornets top Heat

LaMelo Ball scored 30 points with 10 assists and Miles Bridges added 28 and 9 rebounds as the Charlotte Hornets outlasted the Miami Heat 127-126 in overtime to open the SoFi Play-In. Coby White’s late regulation 3 forced OT, Ball hit a decisive driving layup with 4.7 seconds left in OT, and Bridges chased down Davion Mitchell’s potential winner to seal the win. The Heat played without Bam Adebayo (back injury), and Charlotte moves on to face the Philly-Orlando loser for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, capturing its first postseason home win in a decade.