Heat Edge Hornets in High-Stakes Play-In Thriller, 108-101

Miami 108, Charlotte 101 – April 14, 2026

The Miami Heat survived a late surge from the Charlotte Hornets in a high-stakes Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament matchup, earning a 108-101 victory at Kaseya Center. With the win, Miami advances to the next round of the playoffs and keeps their season alive in a tightly contested battle. Key contributors included Bam Adebayo, who tallied 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Norman Powell, who added 20 points off the bench.

The Heat entered the contest as the more experienced team, and that edge showed early as they controlled the tempo and limited Charlotte’s transition opportunities. Miami’s defense, which ranks among the top five in the league in points allowed in the paint, held the Hornets to just 38 points in the paint. The Heat forced 12 turnovers and outrebounded Charlotte 42-34, a significant advantage in a game where second-chance points were crucial.

Charlotte, however, stayed in the fight thanks to the playmaking of LaMelo Ball and the scoring punch of Brandon Miller. Ball finished with 28 points and 10 assists, while Miller added 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting. The Hornets cut the deficit to five points in the final minutes but never quite found the rhythm they needed to overtake Miami.

The pivotal moment came late in the fourth when Adebayo secured a defensive rebound and fed Powell for a clutch three-pointer with just over a minute remaining. That basket extended Miami’s lead to 105-98 and effectively ended Charlotte’s comeback hopes. The Hornets had one final chance but came up short on a contested three-point attempt at the buzzer.

This win marks the fifth time in franchise history that the Heat have advanced past the Play-In Tournament. Miami improved to 43-40 on the season and will now face the sixth-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. The Hornets, meanwhile, fall to 44-38 after a valiant but ultimately futile effort in their first appearance in the postseason.

Looking ahead, the Heat will have just three days to prepare for their first-round series against Boston. Tyler Herro, who sat out the final minutes due to a foot injury, will be monitored closely in the coming days. For the Hornets, the focus shifts to the offseason as they look to build around young stars like Ball, Miller, and Mark Williams, who sat out the game with a back injury.