The Charlotte Hornets are one step closer to the NBA Playoffs after beating the Miami Heat, 127-126, in overtime during Tuesday night’s play-in game at the Spectrum Center.
ALSO READ: Hornets to host Heat in postseason play-in game
They still have a tough road.
The Hornets must win on the road Friday against the loser of the Magic-76ers game on Wednesday night. The winner of that game gets into the playoffs starting with a matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
The score was tight the whole way. The Hornets were up 26-24 over Miami after one quarter. The Heat led, 54-52, going into the half.
The Hornets widened the lead by the end of the third quarter. But the score tightened up once again at the beginning of the fourth quarter. With six minutes remaining, the Heat pushed their lead to 102-95. The Hornets stopped their opponents from scoring and tied it up, but not before the Heat pulled ahead by six points with two minutes left. The Hornets sank a three-pointer with just over a minute left, closing the gap, 111-108.
The Hornets made a push with about 30 seconds on the clock but still trailed 114-111 with 13 seconds until Coby White made a three-pointer, tying it up 114-114 to go into overtime.
The nail-biter continued as the Heat took a one-point lead with only seconds left on the clock. The Hornets pulled off the W, beating the Heat 127-126.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates.
Coby White to tie the game. Ten seconds left, folks…. #Hornets | @wsoctvpic.twitter.com/4B19QliaHq
— DaShawn Brown (@DaShawnWSOC9) April 15, 2026
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The Hornets held a pep rally earlier on Tuesday to get fans ready for something they haven’t experienced in a decade— postseason basketball.
The game is a win-or-go-home opportunity to keep the season alive.
The Hornets have scratched and clawed their way back from a slow start to be in the Play-In Tournament.
In the last three weeks, they’ve played the top three teams in the East a total of five times, and those were games they needed to win to keep pace with the rest of the play-in field.
When the dust settled, the Hornets finished as the No. 9 seed and must win their next two games, with the latter on the road, to advance to the postseason for the first time since the 2015-2016 season.
The team is battle-tested, and head coach Charles Lee said the Hornets are ready.
“I love that we got to play some playoff-caliber games and some playoff-caliber environments, and I think it helps our young team,” said coach Lee. “Also, some of them being so young, they know what it’s like to play in that NCAA Tournament, and you’ve got that win-or-go-home mindset.”
Making the playoffs would mean everything for Hornets forward Miles Bridges, the longest-tenured player on the roster.
“It’s No. 1 on my list to make it to the playoffs and play for something,” Bridges said. “I probably have the most games as a player to not make the playoffs. I definitely want to get off that list. And I feel like everybody on this team deserves to be in the playoffs. We worked so hard, and we sacrificed. I feel like we deserve to be there.”
VIDEO: Hornets’ Miles Bridges talks about importance of game against Heat
BOTTOM LINE: The Hornets host the Heat in the NBA Playoffs Play-In Tournament. The winner moves on in the tournament to play for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
The Hornets are 26-26 in Eastern Conference games. Charlotte ranks fifth in the league with 12.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 3.7 offensive boards.
The Heat are 10-7 against opponents in the Southeast Division. Miami is 21-31 against opponents over .500.
The Hornets are shooting 46.0% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points lower than the 46.5% the Heat allow to opponents. The Heat average 13.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.9 more makes per game than the Hornets give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kon Knueppel is averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball is averaging 22.5 points over the last 10 games.
Bam Adebayo is averaging 20.1 points, 10 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Heat. Andrew Wiggins is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 6-4, averaging 113.4 points, 44.8 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.1 points per game.
Heat: 5-5, averaging 125.8 points, 43.3 rebounds, 31.0 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 50.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 126.2 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: PJ Hall: day to day (ankle).
Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (ankle), Pelle Larsson: day to day (leg), Simone Fontecchio: day to day (ankle), Dru Smith: day to day (foot).
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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