NBA Play-In Tips Off Tonight: Heat vs Hornets and Suns vs Blazers

The 2026 NBA postseason is officially here, and it kicks off tonight with two high-stakes Play-In Tournament matchups. The stakes couldn't be higher: one team will be eliminated entirely, while another will punch its ticket to the first round of the playoffs. Here is everything you need to know about tonight's opening slate. East 9/10: Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets (7:30 PM ET) This is an elimination game. The loser goes home, and the winner advances to face the loser of the Magic-Sixers matchup for the 8th seed. The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the best stories in the NBA over the second half of the season. Sitting at a dismal 11-23 two days into the New Year, they completely flipped the script, finishing with 44 wins. The franchise is desperate to end the league's longest active non-playoff streak (nine years), and they are playing with unusual confidence for such a young group. LaMelo Ball and rookie Kon Knueppel (shooting 42.5% from deep) give them a fearless perimeter attack that can beat anyone if they get hot. On the other side, the Miami Heat bring the ultimate trump card: experience. Erik Spoelstra and his squad know exactly how to navigate this time of year. However, their perimeter defense has been suspect lately, allowing 120-plus points 13 times over the last month. Bam Adebayo (20 PPG, 10 RPG) is the best player on the floor and will need to dominate the interior against a Charlotte frontcourt that relies on a committee approach with Moussa Diabaté and Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Angle: The Heat won the regular-season series 3-1, but the Hornets are scorching hot and playing at home. If Charlotte's shooters get going early, Miami might not have the firepower to keep up in a single-game scenario. West 7/8: Portland Trail Blazers at Phoenix Suns (10:00 PM ET) The winner of this matchup claims the No. 7 seed and advances to face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The loser gets a second chance against the winner of Wednesday's Warriors-Clippers game. The Phoenix Suns managed to win 45 games despite losing Kevin Durant last offseason and dealing with massive injury stretches to Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and Mark Williams. Devin Booker remains the engine, averaging 26.1 points per game. They are a veteran-heavy squad that knows how to execute in high-pressure moments. The Portland Trail Blazers, by contrast, are relying heavily on youth. Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan will all be getting their first real taste of the postseason spotlight. Their veteran anchor is Jrue Holiday, who brings elite defense and a surprising 16.3 PPG on offense. The key matchup to watch is Booker vs. Holiday—a delicious callback to Game 5 of the 2021 NBA Finals when Holiday famously ripped the ball from Booker to seal a crucial win. Portland's young legs and top-tier defense will try to rattle the Suns, but Phoenix has looked like a team of destiny for much of the year. The Angle: Phoenix has the edge in experience and star power with Booker, but Portland's disruptive defense could turn this into a grind-it-out affair. Expect a physical, low-scoring game where every possession matters. --- Related reading: Check out our full 2026 NBA Playoff Bracket breakdown and our recap of the chaotic final day of the regular season.