MIAMI and PHOENIX — April 14, 2026 — The NBA’s play-in tournament begins Tuesday night with two win-or-go-home matchups that will shape the final playoff brackets in both conferences.
Eastern Conference: No. 9 Heat vs. No. 10 Hornets
The Miami Heat meet the Charlotte Hornets to decide which club stays alive for the East’s last postseason spot. Miami owns a 3-1 regular-season edge over Charlotte and heads into its eighth play-in game since 2021, the most in the league. The Heat famously reached the 2023 NBA Finals after advancing through the tournament, led then—as now—by Norman Powell and Tyler Herro.
Charlotte is chasing its first playoff appearance since 2016. After starting 9-20, the Hornets closed the season 35-18 and set a league record with an 18.2-point average margin in victories. LaMelo Ball and rookie Kon Knueppel finished first and second in made three-pointers, respectively.
The winner will face the loser of Tuesday’s other East play-in contest between the No. 7 Orlando Magic and No. 8 Philadelphia 76ers.
Western Conference: No. 7 Blazers vs. No. 8 Suns
The nightcap features the Portland Trail Blazers against the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix returned to the play-in after a 45-win season and claimed a 2-1 advantage in the head-to-head series behind Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks. Portland, last in the playoffs in 2021, rides the emergence of first-time All-Star Deni Avdija alongside Shaedon Sharpe and Jerami Grant.
The victor will earn a first-round date with the San Antonio Spurs, while the loser will meet either the LA Clippers or Golden State Warriors for the West’s final postseason berth.
Tipoff times: Heat-Hornets at 7 p.m. ET, Blazers-Suns at 9:30 p.m. ET. Follow live coverage throughout the evening for scores and highlights.
Source: ESPN
