Trail Blazers Secure NBA Playoff Spot as Hornets Outlast Heat in Overtime Thriller

The Portland Trail Blazers have booked their spot in the NBA playoffs following a stunning comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns, while the Charlotte Hornets advanced in the play-in tournament with a nail-biting overtime win against the Miami Heat. The Trail Blazers' win over the Suns secured them the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, setting up a first-round matchup against the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs. Deni Avdija starred for the Blazers, scoring 41 points, including a crucial three-pointer with 16.1 seconds remaining, to seal a 114-110 win. In the Eastern Conference, the Hornets will face the loser of the Philadelphia 76ers' meeting with the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament after LaMelo Ball scored the winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime to defeat the Heat 127-126. The Blazers' victory marked a remarkable turnaround, having trailed by 11 points in the fourth quarter. Avdija's heroics, which included 12 assists, proved decisive as the Suns' Jalen Green missed a late three-pointer and Jordan Goodwin was stripped by Matisse Thybulle to secure the win for Portland. The Hornets, meanwhile, rallied from a deficit to force overtime, with Ball apologizing for his role in Bam Adebayo's injury but insisting he was disoriented after being hit in the head. The 2026 NBA playoffs begin on Sky Sports this Sunday, April 19, with four live games, including the Trail Blazers' first-round matchup against the Spurs.