How did Hornets beat Heat in OT?

The sequence that pushed Charlotte past Miami

The Charlotte Hornets survived an end-to-end NBA Play-In thriller against the Miami Heat, winning 127-126 in overtime. The game’s decisive moment came late in the extra period when LaMelo Ball delivered a go-ahead layup with 4.7 seconds remaining.

That bucket set up the final stop: Miles Bridges then blocked Davion Mitchell’s potential game-winning shot at the buzzer. Charlotte held on to complete the one-point win and earn the next Play-In step, carrying momentum into a matchup that would determine a playoff berth.

The finish mattered because it came after regulation and overtime were both tightly contested, with multiple swings in momentum. Ball’s late scoring provided the key offensive spark when Miami needed stops and Charlotte needed certainty.

Beyond the final play, the matchup carried major stakes from start to finish:

• Miami entered as the No. 9 seed and Charlotte as the No. 10 seed, meaning either team could be sent home with a loss.
• The game ended as a defensive showdown in the final seconds—Ball’s layup created the lead, while Bridges’ block prevented the immediate response.
• The Hornets’ overtime margin was one possession: Charlotte made just enough late to overcome a Heat push that kept the ending unpredictable.

This is exactly the kind of Play-In game the league is built around—high leverage, condensed time, and a single defensive play determining survival. For the Heat, the narrow loss ended their postseason hopes and shifted the focus immediately to what Miami will do next season. For Charlotte, it was a statement win and a major step toward returning to the playoffs after years away.