Portland Trail Blazers Secure NBA Playoff Berth as Charlotte Hornets Advance in Play-in Tournament

The Portland Trail Blazers have booked their spot in the NBA playoffs with a thrilling comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns, while the Charlotte Hornets have progressed in the play-in tournament with a nail-biting overtime win against the Miami Heat. The Trail Blazers' Deni Avdija scored 41 points, including a crucial three-pointer with 16.1 seconds remaining, to seal a 114-110 win and claim the No 7 seed in the Western Conference. As a result, the Blazers will face the No 2 seed San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference, the Hornets will next play the loser of the Philadelphia 76ers' meeting with the Orlando Magic in the seventh versus eighth matchup in the play-in tournament, after LaMelo Ball's winning layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime secured a 127-126 victory over the Heat.