LaMelo Ball Gets Let Off The Hook

Ultimately, the NBA decided not to suspend Ball, hitting him instead with a 35,000 fine for the trip, an additional 25,000 for cursing during his postgame interview, and a retroactive flagrant 2 foul. He is therefore available to play in Friday's game against the Orlando Magic for the No. 8 seed and the right to get stomped by Detroit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C29Pudky5AA Was this the right decision? As always, ... eh. Ball's swipe of Adebayo's leg looked a lot worse in slow motion than in real time, where it just seemed like a typically goofy player prone to losing control of his body, which, if you've ever watched LaMelo Ball play basketball, you know that's exactly what he is. Should the refs have stopped the game to take a further look at the trip? Probably, but 1) the game was moving a hundred miles a minute, so the refs missed their window for it, and 2) the refs tend to lean toward not affecting the outcome of games the later we get into a season, which is the right instinct.