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What channel is Hornets vs. Heat on today? Time, TV schedule to watch 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NBA Playoffs are here, with the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat teeing things off for the postseason's first Play-In game. This year marks the first time that the NBA Play-In Tournament will be exclusively broadcast on Amazon Prime.
On Tuesday night, Hornets star LaMelo Ball will look to lead his team to its first playoff berth for the first time since 2016. Standing in their way will be the NBA's second-highest game scorer, Bam Adebayo, and his Heat.
Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel is looking to build upon his stellar rookie season, where he rose to become one of the league's premier three-point shooters. Along with him, Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller round out a Hornets team that could be scary in a playoff format. During the 2025-2026 campaign, the team made 37.9% of its threes, the third-most in the league. If those shots are falling, Charlotte might not be a cakewalk of a first-round matchup for the Pistons, if they were to win tonight and the second play-in game.
Standing across the timeline is a Miami team that has played in four consecutive play-in tournaments. The Heat have yet to fail in qualifying for the playoffs after participating in the play-in, and they will look to keep that streak alive. Miami was without guard Tyler Herro for a large portion of this season, but the guard is back and will be a huge help to weather the offensive storm of one of the NBA's best 3P-shooting teams. Along with Adebayo and Herro, the Heat have enjoyed the continued emergence of third-year player Jaime Jaquez Jr., who has put up a respectable year, along with Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins.
Here's what you need to know about Tuesday's matchup between Charlotte and Miami, including broadcast information and start time.
What channel is Hornets vs. Heat on today?
- TV channel: None
- Live stream: Prime Video
Under the NBA’s new media rights agreement, every game of the 2026 Play-In Tournament will be streamed exclusively on Prime Video, marking the first time the entire tournament has shifted to a streaming-only platform.
Hornets vs. Heat start time
- Date: Tuesday, April 14
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament game between the Hornets and Heat is set to tip off Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET from Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
This season, the Heat holds the head-to-head advantage over the Hornets, winning three out of four games. This is the first time Miami and Charlotte have met in the playoffs since the first round of the 2016 Playoffs, when the Heat were victorious in seven games.
NBA Play-In Tournament schedule 2026
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., April 14 | Hornets vs. Heat | 7:30 p.m. | Prime Video |
| Suns vs. Trail Blazers | 10 p.m. | Prime Video | |
| Wed., April 15 | Sixers vs. Magic | 7:30 p.m. | Prime Video |
| Clippers vs. Warriors | 10 p.m. | Prime Video | |
| Fri., April 17 | Hornets/Heat winner vs. Sixers/Magic loser | 7:30 p.m. | Prime Video |
| Suns/Blazers loser vs. Clippers/Warriors winner | 10 p.m. | Prime Video |
NBA Playoffs schedule, key dates for 2026
Here are the key dates to know for the NBA Playoffs and offseason.
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| Play-In Tournament | April 14-17 |
| First round begins | April 18 |
| Conference semifinals begin | May 4* |
| NBA Draft Lottery | May 10 |
| Eastern Conference finals begin | May 19* |
| Western Conference finals begin | May 20* |
| NBA Finals begin | June 3 |
| NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary) | June 19 |
* Can move up depending on earlier series
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