NBA says Wade wasn’t fouled in final seconds

NBA NOTEBOOK HORNETS’ HAWES OUT

The NBA says was not fouled on Miami’s final offensive play of the Heat loss to Charlotte in Game 5 of the teams’ Eastern Conference first-round series.

Wade thought he was fouled with 2.6 seconds left as he tried to tie the game while being defended by the Hornets’ and Courtney Lee. No call came, and the Heat lost 90-88.

Miami trails the series 3-2, going into Game 6 at Charlotte on Friday.

The league’s review of events in the last 2 minutes of play also states the Heat did not foul Zeller on an inbounds play in the final seconds, another call Miami wanted before time expired.

The NBA did say Lee made “minor contact” with Wade’s arm, but not enough to merit a foul.

Since March 2015, the NBA’s “Last Two Minute Report” has provided a public report card of sorts on everything that happens in the final 2 minutes of games that were within five points or less. The NBA said it releases the reports in an effort to be transparent, and because it would get inquiries from teams and media about certain calls in close games anyway.

“To be honest, I don’t even look at them,” Heat coach said Thursday, a few hours before the league’s review of Wednesday’s game was released. “That doesn’t help if they disagree and say it should have been a foul. What’s that do? You just become frustrated. Or if they disagree with you, you can go down that rabbit hole of ‘How do you not see it that way?’”

The Charlotte Hornets say backup center will miss the remainder of their first-round series against the Miami Heat with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

The Hornets lead the series 3-2. Game 6 is Friday night.

The team says Hawes will be re-evaluated in a week, which means he wouldn’t be available if the series goes to a seventh and deciding game on Sunday. He was injured during Charlotte’s win in Game 5 Thursday night in Miami.

The 7-foot Hawes has appeared in five playoff games for Charlotte and is averaging 3.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 10.6 minutes.

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