Hornets Edge Heat in Overtime Thriller

LaMelo Ball's late layup and Miles Bridges' buzzer-beating block seal the win for Charlotte in the play-in tournament.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:11pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the final moments of the Hornets-Heat play-in game, with overlapping shapes and planes representing the players, the ball, and the scoreboard, conveying the intense action and high stakes of the game's conclusion.The Hornets' dramatic overtime win against the Heat keeps their playoff dreams alive, with LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges making the decisive plays in the final seconds.Charlotte Today

In a thrilling overtime matchup, the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Miami Heat 127-126 in the NBA play-in tournament. LaMelo Ball made a go-ahead layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, and Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell's last-second attempt to give the Hornets the victory.

Why it matters

The win keeps the Hornets' playoff hopes alive, as they look to secure a spot in the postseason. The Heat, meanwhile, will need to regroup after this heartbreaking loss in the play-in round.

The details

With the game tied at 126-126 in overtime, LaMelo Ball drove to the hoop and scored the go-ahead layup for the Hornets. On the ensuing possession, Miami had a chance to win it, but Bridges came up with a huge block on Davion Mitchell's layup attempt at the buzzer to preserve the victory for Charlotte.

  • The game was played on April 15, 2026.
  • Ball's game-winning layup came with 4.7 seconds left in overtime.

The players

LaMelo Ball

The star point guard for the Charlotte Hornets, who made the game-winning layup in overtime.

Miles Bridges

The Hornets' forward, who blocked the potential game-winning shot by Davion Mitchell at the buzzer.

Davion Mitchell

The Heat's guard, who had a chance to win the game for Miami but was denied by Bridges' block at the buzzer.

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What they’re saying

“That was an incredible game. I'm so proud of our guys for fighting until the end and making the plays we needed to win.”

— James Borrego, Hornets Head Coach

What’s next

The Hornets will now advance to the next round of the play-in tournament, where they will face the winner of the other play-in game.

The takeaway

This thrilling overtime victory showcases the Hornets' resilience and ability to make clutch plays when it matters most, keeping their playoff hopes alive in a hard-fought battle against the Heat.