Prime Video Faces Technical Issues During Overtime Feed of Hornets-Heat Game

Prime Video made a big move by acquiring NBA rights ahead of the 2025–26 season, expanding its sports broadcasting reach. This week, Prime is showcasing the NBA play-in tournament for the first time, but unfortunately encountered a major mishap during its initial broadcast. As the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets were locked in a tight overtime battle, Prime’s feed suddenly dropped, displaying a “Technical difficulties” message as the game reached its most critical moments. Understandably, viewers were shocked to see such an important matchup go off the air right when things were heating up. Social media lit up with complaints, with even NBA superstar LeBron James expressing his confusion.

But fear not, Prime Video was able to recover just in time for an epic finish. Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat made a clutch three-pointer, followed by a steal that led to another crucial play resulting in free throws. With just 8.7 seconds left on the clock, the Heat took a narrow lead. However, LaMelo Ball of the Hornets had other plans, driving hard and sinking a layup to secure a victory for Charlotte. The final buzzer sealed the deal, marking the Hornets’ first-ever play-in game win.

Amazon, Prime Video’s parent company, quickly issued a statement the next morning, attributing the broadcast interruption to a hardware failure in their production truck. They assured fans that their team worked diligently to restore the feed and are conducting a thorough review to prevent such incidents in the future. Despite the rocky start, Prime Video is set to cover the entire play-in tournament, including upcoming matchups between the 76ers and Magic, as well as the Clippers and Warriors. In addition, they will broadcast the games that determine the eighth seeds on Friday, along with a selection of playoff games.

Although the technical glitch dampened the start of Prime Video’s playoff coverage, the game itself was nothing short of spectacular. The Hornets pulled off a nail-biting win against the Heat, coming from behind in both regulation and overtime. Led by LaMelo Ball with 30 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds, alongside standout performances from Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller, the Hornets showed their resilience. On the other side, the Heat put up a fight despite star center Bam Adebayo exiting early due to injury. Key contributions from Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and Tyler Herro, with impressive play from Kel’el Ware filling in, made for an exciting matchup.

Despite the initial hiccup, Prime Video was fortunate enough to capture the thrilling conclusion of what turned out to be an unforgettable game for both teams. For more NBA updates and analysis, be sure to check out SI’s podcast, Open Floor, available on Apple and Spotify, or catch the show on SI’s YouTube channel. And stay tuned for the rest of the NBA playoff action coming your way.