The Miami Heat travel to the Spectrum Center on Tuesday night to face the Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament eliminator. This win-or-go-home matchup puts the veteran experience of Erik Spoelstra’s squad against a young Hornets team that has become one of the most exciting stories of the 2025–26 season.
Charlotte enters the contest as the 9th seed with a 44–38 record, having narrowly missed out on a guaranteed playoff spot. They are led by a healthy LaMelo Ball and the elite shooting of Rookie of the Year frontrunner Kon Knueppel. The Hornets are looking to snap the NBA’s longest current playoff drought. Charlotte has been one of the league’s best teams since the All-Star break, ranking first in three-pointers made per game (16.4).
The Heat arrive as the 10th seed at 43–39, familiar territory for a franchise that has reached the playoffs through the Play-In Tournament in each of the last three seasons. While Miami struggled with consistency and road performance (17–24) during the regular season, the duo of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo is one of the most impressive post-season pairings in the East. Miami enters tonight on a two-game winning streak.
Heat vs. Hornets: Live Streaming And Game Info
- Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
- Time: 7:30 PM ET (4:30 PM PT)
- Venue: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
- TV Broadcast (National): Amazon Prime Video
- Live Streaming: NBA League Pass, Fubo (Free Trial available)
Projected Starting Lineups
Miami Heat
- PG: Terry Rozier
- SG: Tyler Herro
- SF: Jimmy Butler
- PF: Haywood Highsmith
- C: Bam Adebayo
Charlotte Hornets
- PG: LaMelo Ball
- SG: Kon Knueppel
- SF: Brandon Miller
- PF: Miles Bridges
- C: Moussa Diabaté
Injury Report
Miami Heat
- Nikola Jovic (PF): OUT (Hamstring injury)
- Dru Smith (PG): OUT (Knee injury)
- Pelle Larsson (SG): QUESTIONABLE (Lower leg contusion)
- Josh Richardson (SG): AVAILABLE (Cleared after shoulder management)
Charlotte Hornets
- PJ Hall (C): QUESTIONABLE (Ankle soreness)
- Mark Williams (C): OUT (Lower back injury management)
- Nick Richards (C): OUT (Right shoulder strain)
Head to Head
The Miami Heat won the 2025–26 regular-season series 3–1, though the Charlotte Hornets secured a dominant 136–106 victory in their most recent meeting on March 17. Historically, the Heat lead the all-time regular season series 83-50. They also lead the all-time playoff series 8-6.
Prediction
While the Hornets are the hotter team and have home-court advantage, the Heat’s postseason pedigree is difficult to bet against in an elimination game. Expect a tight, physical battle where Jimmy Butler’s late-game execution and Miami’s defensive masterclass allow them to escape with a narrow road victory to keep their season alive.
Score Prediction: Heat 112 – Hornets 108
Where to watch Heat vs. Hornets in India For Free?
Indian Fans can watch Heat vs. Hornets on NBA League Pass, Amazon Prime (an Amazon Prime 30-day free trial), or catch it for free here.
Where To Watch Heat vs. Hornets Across The Globe>
United States
- Date/Time: April 14, 2026, 7:30 PM ET
- Channel: Amazon Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Canada
- Date/Time: April 14, 2026, 7:30 PM ET
- Channel: TSN, NBA League Pass
United Kingdom
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 12:30 AM GMT
- Channel: TNT Sports, NBA League Pass
Australia
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 9:30 AM AEST
- Channel: ESPN, NBA League Pass
Germany
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: DAZN, NBA League Pass
France
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: beIN Sports, NBA League Pass
Spain
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: Movistar+, NBA League Pass
Italy
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 1:30 AM CET
- Channel: Sky Italia, NBA League Pass
India
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 5:00 AM IST
- Channel: Amazon Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Brazil
- Date/Time: April 14, 2026, 8:30 PM BRT
- Channel: ESPN, Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Mexico
- Date/Time: April 14, 2026, 5:30 PM CST
- Channel: ESPN, Star+, NBA League Pass
Japan
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 8:30 AM JST
- Channel: Rakuten TV, NBA League Pass
Philippines
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 7:30 AM PHT
- Channel: TV5, NBA TV Philippines, NBA League Pass
Singapore
- Date/Time: April 15, 2026, 7:30 AM SGT
- Channel: StarHub, Singtel, NBA League Pass
