The Portland Trail Blazers locked in a postseason slot on Tuesday after staging a dramatic comeback against the Phoenix Suns, while the Charlotte Hornets moved forward in the NBA play‑in tournament by edging the Miami Heat in an overtime showdown. In the Western Conference, the matchup between the seventh‑seeded Suns and the eighth‑seeded Trail Blazers carried high stakes: the victor would clinch a guaranteed spot in the playoffs as the No.
7 seed. Portland emerged victorious, turning a ten‑point fourth‑quarter hole into a 114‑110 win. The defeated Suns now face a do‑or‑die game against either the ninth‑seeded Los Angeles Clippers or the tenth‑seeded Golden State Warriors for the final No. 8 seed.
Meanwhile, in the East, the ninth‑seeded Hornets will next confront the loser of the Philadelphia 76ers‑Orlando Magic game in the seventh‑versus‑eighth play‑in contest. Their overtime triumph over Miami, 127‑126, earned them a spot in the subsequent round. Portland’s hero of the night was Deni Avdija, who poured in a career‑high 41 points, including a clutch three‑pointer with 16.1 seconds left that put the Blazers ahead for good. Avdija also dished out 12 assists and finished the game with a decisive layup and foul draw that gave Portland a 112‑110 lead with just 32 seconds remaining.
After a brief Suns rally—Jordan Goodwin’s layup gave Phoenix a 110‑109 edge—Avdija answered with a physical drive to the rim, converting the basket and sinking the free throw. A final three‑point attempt by Suns guard Jalen Green missed, and a last‑second offensive rebound by Goodwin was stripped by Matisse Thybulle, sealing the win for Portland. The victory secured the Trail Blazers the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, setting up a first‑round series against the No.
2 seeded San Antonio Spurs. Portland entered the fourth quarter trailing 83‑82 despite a dismal three‑point shooting night (1‑of‑11).
Phoenix briefly seized the lead early in the period when Jalen Green hit a jumper, sparking an 11‑0 run that pushed the Suns ahead 93‑83. Later, Royce O'Neale’s steal and three‑pointer extended Phoenix’s margin to 98‑87 with 7:13 left, but that was the catalyst for Portland’s relentless comeback. On the Eastern side, Charlotte’s win hinged on LaMelo Ball’s poise in the final moments.
After Miami lost Bam Adebayo to an early injury, the Hornets fell behind, but Coby White ignited a third‑quarter surge with a flurry of three‑pointers. The Heat responded in the fourth, with Andrew Wiggins drilling back‑to‑back threes to retake the lead.
White’s late jumper forced overtime, where Ball, having scored 30 points overall, delivered the decisive layup with 4.7 seconds left. Miles Bridges then capped the night with a game‑winning block at the buzzer, eliminating the Heat from postseason contention. The Heat’s coach, Erik Spoelstra, voiced frustration over an incident that left Adebayo with a lower‑back injury.
Early in the second quarter, Ball fell after a missed drive and appeared to reach out with his left arm, grabbing Adebayo’s left leg and causing the big man to tumble. No foul was called, and Adebayo, though able to stand and walk to the locker room, did not return. Ball later apologized, explaining he was disoriented after being struck on the head during the same play. Looking ahead, the 2026 NBA playoffs kick off on Sky Sports this Sunday, April 19, with four live games on Sky Sports Action beginning at 6 p.m.
British Summer Time. The schedule includes: - 6 p.m.: Eastern No. 7 seed vs.
Boston Celtics (No. 2) - 8:30 p.m.: Western No. 8 seed vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (No.
1) - 11 p.m.: Eastern No. 8 seed vs. Detroit Pistons (No.
1) - 2 a.m.: Portland Trail Blazers (No. 7) vs. San Antonio Spurs (No. 2) Sky Sports will also broadcast all Western Conference Finals live from May 20 onward.
The bracket for the upcoming rounds features matchups such as: - Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. the eventual eighth seed - San Antonio Spurs (2) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7) - Denver Nuggets (3) vs.
Minnesota Timberwolves (6) - Los Angeles Lakers (4) vs. Houston Rockets (5) In the play‑in tournament, the Suns (7) fell 110‑114 to the Trail Blazers (8), while the Los Angeles Clippers (9) will meet the Golden State Warriors (10) for the final western seed. The Eastern play‑in sees the Philadelphia 76ers (7) host the Orlando Magic (8), and the Hornets (9) have already defeated the Heat (10) 127‑126. The loser of the 76ers‑Magic game will face Charlotte in the next round.
Fans can watch the entire postseason live on Sky Sports, subscribe to the channel, or stream without a contract via the NOW platform. The expanded coverage ensures that basketball enthusiasts across the UK can follow every buzzer‑beater, defensive stop, and strategic adjustment as the league’s top teams vie for the championship.