LaMelo Ball goes from goat to hero as Hornets top Heat in overtime; UEFA Champions League semifinals to be set

Plus, our NBA postseason player rankings and way-too-early 2027 WNBA mock draft

Carter Bahns

Apr 15, 2026

12:02 pm ET

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7 min read

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🏀 Five things to know Wednesday

- Hornets pull out a wild win to eliminate Heat, and Trail Blazers reach the playoffs. Those upstart Hornets moved one step closer to their first playoff berth since 2016 when they knocked the Heat out of the Play-In Tournament in an overtime thriller. Miami had to operate without Bam Adebayo for more than half the game after he injured his back on a play Erik Spoelstra said should have resulted in an ejection for LaMelo Ball, who, in overtime, went from goat to hero in 12 seconds. In the West, the Trail Blazers took the No. 7 seed and will face the Spurs after getting 41 points from Deni Avdija to defeat the Suns in the night's second play-in game. This is not the end of the road for Phoenix, though, as it gets a second crack at securing a spot in the playoffs with a do-or-die game on Friday against tonight's Clippers-Warriors winner.

- Atlético Madrid and PSG advanced to the UEFA Champions League semifinals. Half of the four-team semifinal field is set after Tuesday's second-leg action, and those squads will learn their opponents today (you can watch both remaining quarterfinals at 3 p.m. PT on Paramount+). PSG completed a 4-0 shutout of Liverpool on aggregate with yesterday's 2-0 win, dealing another blow to the Reds' disastrous season. Barcelona, meanwhile, fell short of a Champions League title with another early elimination despite Tuesday's 2-1 win over Spanish rival Atlético Madrid. Before today's slate gets underway, take a look at our picks and predictions.

- Javier Mascherano stepped down as Inter Miami CF coach. Citing personal reasons, Mascherano announced his departure from the club less than a quarter of the way through his second year at the helm. It is a shocking exit that comes on the heels of Miami's first MLS Cup championship, leaving Guillermo Hoyos in charge as interim coach. This also marks the second change in leadership since Lionel Messi joined the roster in 2023.

- The 16-team Stanley Cup Playoffs field is set. All that's left to decide before the start of the NHL postseason is seeding. Only two days' worth of regular-season games are left, so we'll have a complete bracket and schedule by the end of the week. But for now, check out the teams that have clinched spots in the playoffs and where they would slot into the field if the season ended this second.

- Sherrone Moore was sentenced to 18 months probation. The former Michigan football coach appeared in court again on Monday when a court announced his punishment for the December incident that unfolded upon his firing. He was sentenced for two misdemeanor charges (trespassing and malicious use of a telecom device) after two others were dismissed as part of his no-contest plea agreement. In addition to his probation, Moore must also pay a $1,000 fine, continue mental health treatment, submit to drug and alcohol tests and refrain from contact with the victim of his confrontation.

🔢 Do not miss this: NBA postseason player rankings

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The first 13 seeds in the NBA Playoffs are already accounted for, and three more are up for grabs in the rest of the Play-In Tournament. This is the time of year when the world's biggest stars shine the brightest, and every team that is still alive needs its top contributors to be at their best on just about every given night.

The top championship contenders, logically, have more firepower than the rest. That is evident in our ranking of the top 50 players in the postseason, as the Spurs, Thunder and Nuggets account for the three players in Tier 1.

I'll show you the players in the top and bottom tiers, but you'll need to check out Sam Quinn's excellent work to see the rest and to find out where exactly they stand from Nos. 1-50.

- Tier 1: Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama

- Tier 11: Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jarrett Allen, Jrue Holiday

Here's a hint: Quinn is still extremely high on Jokić even though he has not been the same since his midseason knee injury.

- Quinn: "The turnovers -- especially in transition -- went way up. His 3-point shooting dropped roughly a dozen percentage points, his floater went from completely unstoppable to merely very good, and his defense, always a concern, became, at times, downright alarming."

🔮 Way-too-early 2027 WNBA mock draft

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It has only been less than 48 hours since college stars like Lauren Betts heard their names called at the WNBA Draft, but we're already turning our attention to 2027. Who will follow Azzi Fudd as