CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Following Charlotte’s thrilling 127-126 playoff victory over Miami on Tuesday night, Hornets guard LaMelo Ball’s excitement reached unusual heights when he struck team mascot Hugo twice in the head during postgame celebrations.
The dramatic finish saw Ball redeem himself after making two crucial errors in overtime by sinking a driving layup with just 4.7 seconds remaining. Charlotte secured the victory when Miles Bridges rejected Davion Mitchell’s final shot attempt as the buzzer sounded, triggering jubilant celebrations that marked the franchise’s first home playoff victory in ten years.
While Ball was spotted flexing at midcourt following his clutch basket, local station WBTV captured footage of the euphoric player throwing two punches at Hugo’s oversized head before wrapping teammate Coby White in an enthusiastic embrace.
The mascot simply moved away from the situation.
“We drew up a good play, I feel like. Just orchestrated it and it worked,” Ball commented.
Media members didn’t question Ball about the mascot incident during postgame interviews, as the footage hadn’t yet emerged during the chaotic aftermath of a contest where Ball also tripped Miami’s Bam Adebayo, causing a lower back injury that ended the star center’s night.
“The crowd was amazing,” Ball remarked about the capacity audience. “Everyone who came out today was real loud, so it was a good crowd.”
Charlotte forced overtime when White connected on a difficult corner three-pointer with 10.8 seconds left in regulation, while Miami’s Tyler Herro misfired on a potential game-winner.
The Hornets let a five-point overtime advantage slip away due to Ball’s pair of costly mistakes.
Following Herro’s corner three-pointer, Ball committed a turnover at midcourt before fouling Herro during another three-point attempt. Herro converted all three free throws for a 126-125 Miami advantage, creating the stage for Ball’s heroics on the subsequent inbound play.
“We just stayed together throughout it all, it was an up-and-down game. But that’s what the play-in is about,” Bridges explained. “We did a great job executing on offense, LaMelo did a great job getting a layup, and then we executed on defense on the other end.”
Ball remained the focal point throughout the evening.
He seemed to sweep Adebayo’s leg during the second quarter, sending the Miami big man crashing to the floor. Officials didn’t assess a foul, and Adebayo never returned after logging only 11 minutes.
Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra later stated Ball deserved ejection for the play.
Whether Ball faces league discipline for his involvement in the Adebayo situation remains uncertain.
Ball offered an apology postgame, explaining he felt disoriented after taking a blow to the head moments earlier while driving to the basket.
The ninth-seeded Hornets advance to Friday night’s matchup against whichever team loses Wednesday’s contest between Orlando and Philadelphia.
