How to watch Heat vs. Hornets in 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament for free

The NBA regular season is in the rearview mirror and playoffs officially begin on April 18, but first, the No. 7 and 8 seeds in both conferences will be determined during the NBA Play-In Tournament.

The first game of this year’s tournament is between the No. 10 Miami Heat and No. 9 Charlotte Hornets.

The Hornets are back in the playoff race for the first time since 2016, and finished this season 44-38, their largest single-season win total since 2015-16. Miami (43-39) is seeded lower, but won the season series against Charlotte, 3-1.

The winner of tonight’s game will advance into a second Play-In game where they’ll face the 76ers or Magic, depending on the outcome of that matchup tomorrow. The loser of tonight’s game will be eliminated from playoff contention.

Heat vs. Hornets start time:

Heat vs. Hornets tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight (April 14), but pregame coverage on Prime Video will begin at 7 p.m.

How to watch Heat vs. Hornets for free:

The NBA Play-In Tournament, including Heat vs. Hornets, is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the game.

If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.

All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, you’ll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six years and get all the perks.

NBA Playoffs key dates:

• April 14-17: NBA Play-In Tournament
• April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
• June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals

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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.