Hornets host win-or-go-home game against Heat

The Charlotte Hornets will tip off at Spectrum Center Tuesday night against the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-in Tournament.

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It’s the first time in a decade that Charlotte is hosting postseason pro-basketball.

The Hornets finished the season as the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The team must beat the Heat to advance, a team they have beaten once in four meetings this season.

If the Hornets win, they will play the loser of the No. 7 and 8 matchup: The Orlando Magic or the Philadelphia 76ers.

If they win that game, they will be the No. 8 seed in the playoffs and play the No. 1 seed, the Detroit Pistons, in a best-of-seven series.

The Hornets were 15-26 in the first half of the season.

In the final 41 games, the team went 29-12, one of the best second-half records in the league.

Hornets forward Miles Bridges spoke with Channel 9’s DaShawn Brown earlier this year about what he credits as part of the team’s winning mentality.

“Everybody’s been healthy,” said Bridges. “It’s easier to play with guys that you have chemistry with. That’s what we’ve been doing, building chemistry over this time. We really didn’t have a chance to play with each other, and now that we do. We’re showing what a healthy Hornets team looks like.”

Brown and Channel 9’s sports director Phil Orban will be live at Spectrum Center with player interviews and a breakdown of the competition.

“Hornets Playoff Push” is at 7 p.m. on Monday on Channel 9.

VIDEO: Channel 9 sits down with Hornets center Moussa Diabaté