‘Technical Difficulties’: Prime Video Flirts With Disaster As Hornets-Heat Feed Drops in Overtime

Prime Video’s broadcast of the opening play-in game cut out during a key overtime stretch. | Via Amazon Prime Video

Prime Video is presenting the NBA play-in tournament for the first time this week, and had an all-time blunder in its first broadcast.

As the Heat and Hornets battled with less than a minute to go in overtime, Prime’s feed cut out, showing a “Technical difficulties” graphic as the game was in its most crucial stretch.

Viewers couldn’t believe what they were seeing. An incredible, back-and-forth contest between the Eastern Conference’s No. 9 and No. 10 seeds was suddenly off-the-air, and before the broadcast came back, LaMelo Ball made a key shot to give Charlotte a five-point lead.

Plenty of people raced to social media to complain, including a certain four-time NBA MVP.

Tell me the game didn’t just cut off?!!? Am I trippin?? WTH 🤦🏾‍♂️

— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 15, 2026

Prime was saved by a phenomenal finish.

Miami’s Tyler Herro hit a huge three-pointer, then a steal on the next play led to a foul on another Herro three-point attempt. He hit all three free throws to give the Heat a 126–125 lead with 8.7 seconds remaining.

In the final sequence, Ball drove hard from the top of the key and hit a layup to give Charlotte a 127–126 lead. Miami failed to score in a late scramble, and the buzzer sounded.

It was the Hornets’ first ever play-in game victory.

Prime Video’s playoff coverage off to a rocky start

Tuesday night’s play-in games are the first postseason games Amazon’s Prime Video has ever broadcast. That wasn’t the best start.

The company agreed to an 11-year media rights deal with the NBA last year that is worth $1.8 billion annually. In return, it received exclusive rights to 66 regular-season games, the entire play-in tournament and early-round playoff games.

While it got a thrilling play-in game for its postseason debut, technical difficulties in a key moment of the game was a huge blunder.

Hornets advance past Heat in a play-in showstopper

LaMelo Ball’s late overtime layup sent the Hornets past the Heat to open the NBA play-in tournament. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Despite the technical issues, viewers were treated to a phenomenal game.

The Hornets protected home court with a victory over the Heat. They were forced to comeback late in both the fourth quarter and overtime. A Coby White three-pointer with 10.8 seconds remaining in regulation tied the game at 114-114, before the aforementioned late Ball layup sealed the deal.

Ball led all scorers with 30 points, while adding 10 assists and five rebounds. Miles Bridges poured in 28 points and Brandon Miller chipped in wth 23. White was the hero in regulation, as he came off the bench to score 19 in 26 minutes. Rookie Kon Knueppel was a non-factor for Charlotte as he finished with six points on 2-of-12 shooting and failed to hit any of the six three-pointers he attempted.

The Heat were hamstrung after star center Bam Adebayo left the game early in the second quarter with a lower back injury following a collision with Ball. Davion Mitchell scored 28 in 48 minutes, Andrew Wiggins had 27, and Tyler Herro had 23. Kel’el Ware filled in admirably for Adebayo in the middle. He finished with 12 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and five blocks in 42 minutes.

Prime Video is lucky it was able to get back on the air to see the finish of what was an outstanding game.

---

More NBA from Sports Illustrated

Listen to SI’s NBA podcast, Open Floor, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.