Hornets vs. Heat locked
Charlotte was locked into a 9/10 Play‑In game with the Miami Heat heading into the season finale, with only home‑court advantage still undecided at that point. (That scenario left the Hornets and Heat facing an elimination game where the winner advances in the bracket.) (nationaltoday.com)
The Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat will face off in a 9/10 NBA Play-In Tournament elimination game after the regular season finale on April 13, 2026. (espn.com The NBA Play-In Tournament determines the final two playoff seeds (7th and 8th) in each conference using a four-team mini-tournament for seeds 7-10. The 7/8 matchup sends the winner straight to the playoffs; the 9/10 winner plays the 7/8 loser in a single elimination game for the last spot. (nba.com Heading into their April 13 finale against Orlando, the Hornets held the East's No. 9 seed with a 42-39 record. Miami sat at No. 10 with 41-40, guaranteeing the pairing regardless of other results. (cbssports.com Home-court advantage remains undecided: Charlotte hosts if they win against Orlando, giving them the Spectrum Center edge. A Hornets loss hands Miami the Kaseya Center floor. (theathletic.com This marks Charlotte's first Play-In appearance since the format debuted in 2021, fueled by LaMelo Ball's 26.1 points and 7.5 assists per game. Miami returns after reaching the 2025 Play-In, led by Jimmy Butler's 22.4 points. (basketball-reference.com The winner advances to face the 7/8 Play-In victor—likely Orlando or Atlanta—for the East's No. 8 seed against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. The loser ends its season. (nba.com
