Erik Spoelstra just absolutely slammed LaMelo Ball for Bam Adebayo injury

Erik Spoelstra said what needed to be said after the Miami Heat's season-ending loss to the Hornets in the play-in tournament on Tuesday. They were without Bam Adebayo for the majority of the game after he exited early in the second quarter following a hard fall that happened because of LaMelo Ball.

The guard thought it was appropriate to grab Adebayo's leg, the one he was balancing on while trying to stay in bounds with the ball. After losing his balance completely thanks to LaMelo, Bam took a hard fall and didn't get back up. He rolled around on the ground in pain, grabbing his lower back.

Spoelstra eventually called a timeout, and the Heat helped lead Adebayo off the floor to the locker room. He didn't return with what Miami called a lower back injury.

The officials didn't call a foul on Ball, even though an official was standing at the scene of the crime. You have probably seen the clip of LaMelo pulling Bam down several times by this point, and it's pretty clear what happened. Apparently not, though.

Erik Spoelstra calls out LaMelo's dirty play that hurt Adebayo

As Spo said, it was a dangerous play that left Miami without its best player for the most important game of the season. In an alternate reality, the officials would've thrown Ball out. They should've ejected him in this reality. At least call a foul — something!

Hey, LaMelo did try his best to shoot Charlotte out of the game, going 2-of-16 from three. He also, unfortunately, sealed the deal for the Hornets.

In overtime, after Tyler Herro hit a three to cut the Hornets' lead down to two, LaMelo turned the ball over with 12.8 seconds left. He then fouled Herro as the guard went up for a three-pointer, leading to Herro hitting all three free throws to put Miami up by one, 126-125. Unfortunately, he turned around and hit a driving layup to give Charlotte a one-point lead with 4.7 seconds remaining, 127-126, the final score.

It was a game that Miami was still in a position to win, even without Adebayo. The Heat could've (and should've) closed the game, but that doesn't excuse LaMelo's actions.

The guard did say after the game that he was going to "check on" Bam, saying that he "didn't really know" where he was because he got hit in the head.

See, the thing is, this isn't new behavior from LaMelo.

Maybe he didn't intend for Adebayo to get hurt and leave the game, but there was also no reason for him to grab Bam's leg. If LaMelo's head got hit that hard, he shouldn't have stayed in the game.

Let's hope that Adebayo's injury is nothing too serious.

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