Hornets, Heat Face Off in Shorthanded NBA Cup Opener

The Charlotte Hornets face the Miami Heat on Friday night at Kaseya Center in Miami, kicking off group stage play in the 2025 NBA Cup, the league's in-season tournament. The matchup, set for 8 p.m. ET, marks the second meeting between the Southeast Division rivals this season, with the Heat holding a 4-3 record and the Hornets at 3-5.

Both teams enter shorthanded, complicating their tournament debuts. For the Hornets, star guard LaMelo Ball is doubtful with a right ankle impingement that has sidelined him for the past two games, including a recent loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Ball, averaging 23.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists before his injury, was downgraded from questionable earlier in the week. Fellow backcourt player Collin Sexton, who has filled in effectively for Ball, is also doubtful due to a strained neck; he was initially listed as probable. The absences compound existing issues, as forward Brandon Miller remains out with a shoulder injury expected to keep him sidelined for several more weeks, and Josh Green is unavailable with a shoulder problem. Grant Williams is day-to-day with an ACL issue. These injuries leave Charlotte without three of its top five...