Charlotte Hornets given generous chance to knock off the Miami Heat by the ESPN BPI

The fun times have been few and far between for the Charlotte Hornets this season, but tonight, they are looking to win back-to-back games for the first time since they won three straight in mid-January.

What the BPI says for Hornets vs. Heat

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI), the Hornets have a 40.2% chance to win while the Heat have a 59.8% chance to stave off an embarrassing loss.

Although the Hornets have played much better in their last couple of games and the Heat have been in a rut, this seems like a pretty generous percentage given to Charles Lee's squad. They haven't defeated a divisional opponent all year and for that first win to come on the road seems unlikely.

Charlotte's recent games

Mar 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) looks on during the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

It was quite the entertaining weekend in the Queen City with a pair of games going down to the final buzzer. On Friday, the Hornets nearly upset the Cleveland Cavaliers, but a few miscues in the final minute allowed the Cavs to take the lead. Still, Miles Bridges had a chance to send the game to overtime with a halfcourt heave at the end, but fell short. On Saturday, Bridges sealed the deal with a game-winning block on Cam Thomas with just seconds left on the clock to defeat the Brooklyn Nets.

Miami's recent games

Mar 8, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) looks on Chicago Bulls during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Since beating the Washington Wizards by 16 a week ago, the Heat have dropped three straight games, all of which have been within five points. They lost on the road to Cleveland, which no one should have shame in, and then followed it up with a couple of home defeats to Minnesota and Chicago. Time is running out for the Heat, so if they want to secure a spot in the postseason, they can't afford to drop winnable games like they have on their hands tonight against Charlotte.

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