The Portland Trail Blazers locked in a postseason slot on Tuesday after mounting a dramatic comeback against the Phoenix Suns, while the Charlotte Hornets earned a place in the NBA play‑in tournament by defeating the Miami Heat in a nail‑biting overtime contest. In the Western Conference showdown, the seventh‑seeded Suns faced the eighth‑seeded Trail Blazers with the winner guaranteed a spot in the playoffs as the No. 7 seed.
Portland emerged victorious, 114‑110, after erasing an 11‑point deficit in the final quarter. The loss drops Phoenix into the play‑in bracket, where they will meet either the ninth‑seeded Los Angeles Clippers or the tenth‑seeded Golden State Warriors for a chance to claim the No. 8 seed. Meanwhile, in the East, the Hornets, who sit ninth in the conference, will next confront the loser of the Philadelphia 76ers‑Orlando Magic game in the seventh‑versus‑eighth play‑in matchup.
Their 127‑126 overtime win over Miami not only kept their postseason hopes alive but also highlighted the clutch performances of several key players. Portland’s Deni Avdija was the catalyst for the comeback, pouring in 41 points, including a decisive three‑pointer with 16.1 seconds remaining. He also dished out 12 assists, showcasing his all‑around impact.
After Jordan Goodwin’s layup gave the Suns a 110‑109 lead with just 32 seconds left, Avdija answered with a forceful drive to the rim, converting a layup, drawing a foul and sinking the free throw to put the Blazers ahead 112‑110. A final three‑point attempt by Jalen Green missed, and Goodwin’s offensive rebound was stripped by Matisse Thybulle, sealing the victory for Portland. The win guarantees the Trail Blazers the No.
7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, setting up a first‑round clash with the No. 2 seeded San Antonio Spurs. Earlier in the game, Portland had held a slim 83‑82 edge heading into the fourth quarter, despite a poor three‑point shooting night (1‑of‑11). Phoenix briefly seized a 93‑83 lead after an 11‑0 run sparked by Green’s early fourth‑quarter jumper, and later stretched the advantage to 98‑87 thanks to a steal and three‑pointer by Royce O'Neale.
However, the Blazers’ relentless offense and defensive stops turned the tide in the closing minutes. On the Eastern side, LaMelo Ball delivered the decisive layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, giving Charlotte a 127‑126 win and advancing them in the play‑in tournament. Miami’s Bam Adebayo suffered a lower‑back injury early in the game after a controversial incident with Ball.
The Hornets had trailed for much of the first half, but a surge led by Coby White’s barrage of three‑pointers in the third quarter sparked a comeback. The Heat responded in the fourth, with Andrew Wiggins hitting back‑to‑back threes to regain the lead, only for White to tie the game late and force overtime.
Coach Erik Spoelstra of Miami argued that Ball should have been ejected for the contact that appeared to cause Adebayo’s injury. Ball, who finished with 30 points, later apologized, explaining that he was disoriented after being hit in the head on a drive to the basket.
The game concluded with Miles Bridges delivering a game‑winning block at the buzzer, officially eliminating the Heat from postseason contention. The 2026 NBA playoffs kick off on Sky Sports this Sunday, April 19, with four live games broadcast on Sky Sports Action beginning at 6 p.m.
BST. The schedule includes: 6 p.m. – Eastern No.
7 seed @ Boston Celtics (2) 8:30 p.m. – Western No. 8 seed @ Oklahoma City Thunder (1) 11 p.m.
– Eastern No. 8 seed @ Detroit Pistons (1) 2 a.m.
– Portland Trail Blazers (7) @ San Antonio Spurs (2) Sky Sports will also carry all Western Conference Finals live from May 20 onward. The forthcoming playoff matchups are projected as follows: Western Conference first round: - (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) TBD - (2) San Antonio Spurs vs.
(7) Portland Trail Blazers - (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves - (4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets Eastern Conference first round: - (1) Detroit Pistons vs.
(8) TBD - (2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) TBD - (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks - (4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs.
(5) Toronto Raptors Play‑in tournament brackets: - (7) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Orlando Magic - (9) Charlotte Hornets 127‑126 Miami Heat (10) - Loser of Game 1 vs. Charlotte Hornets Fans can watch the action live on Sky Sports, subscribe to the channel, or stream without a contract via NOW.