Hornets win in OT
The Charlotte Hornets beat the Miami Heat in overtime, with LaMelo Ball delivering the go-ahead bucket and a late defensive play helping seal the victory — the result puts Charlotte into a Play‑In shot at the East’s 8‑seed. (x.com) The game’s key moments and the team’s next matchup were circulated immediately in highlight packages and social clips. (x.com)
Charlotte stayed alive Tuesday night, beating Miami 127-126 in overtime to move on in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament. (nba.com) LaMelo Ball scored 30 points, and his layup with 1.1 seconds left in overtime put Charlotte ahead for good. Miles Bridges then blocked Kel’el Ware at the buzzer to end Miami’s season. (espn.com) The game was the East’s No. 9 versus No. 10 play-in matchup at Spectrum Center on April 14, with the loser eliminated immediately. Charlotte finished the regular season 44-38, one game ahead of Miami’s 43-39 mark. (si.com) (espn.com) Under the National Basketball Association play-in format, the No. 9 seed must win twice to reach the playoffs, while the No. 10 seed has no margin for error. Charlotte’s win sends the Hornets into Friday’s East 8-seed game. (nba.com) That next game will be on April 17 against the loser of Wednesday’s Philadelphia 76ers-Orlando Magic matchup, with the winner claiming the conference’s final playoff berth. The first round of the National Basketball Association playoffs begins April 18. (nba.com) (bostonglobe.com) Charlotte needed overtime after a back-and-forth fourth quarter, and the final margin stayed at one point. Official box scores list the Hornets at 127 and the Heat at 126 after Charlotte won the extra period 13-12. (nba.com) (espn.com) The result extends a turnaround for a franchise that was outside the playoff field last spring and is now one win from the bracket. Miami, which reached the playoffs through the play-in in earlier seasons, is out before the first round this time. (nba.com) (espn.com) Charlotte gets one more game Friday to turn a one-point escape into a playoff spot. Miami’s season ends with Ball’s late layup and Bridges’ last block still standing as the final two plays. (nba.com) (espn.com)
