Prime Video has timing issues for NBA play-in games

Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) and Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) look for the rebound during the second quarter of the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Prime Video has timing issues for NBA play-in games

By Sean Keane | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 12:03 AM ET

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It's Prime Video's first time broadcasting postseason NBA basketball. They still have some timing issues to work out.

Viewers had to join Friday's game between the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns late, as the earlier game between the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets ran past the tipoff. It's not the first time it's happened this week, and it's a real issue for the league's new broadcast partner.

Prime Video's appetizers are missing the main course

The scheduling of NBA play-in games should seemingly avoid any time conflicts. The early telecasts begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time, but thanks to the Prime Video pregame show, interviews with announcers and commercials, the actual tipoff happened closer to 7:40 p.m. Friday, which meant the Suns had already taken a big lead by the time Prime switched to the second game.

The delayed start time means the streamer can't avoid having timing problems when the early game goes to overtime, as happened in the game between the Hornets and the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Not only do the games run long, perhaps in part due to extended-length trailers for Prime movies, but the streamer seems committed to a segment where they award a "Playmaker Chain."

A moment for the #NBAonPrime Playmaker Chain pic.twitter.com/MQuTtcSx3i
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) April 14, 2026

The chain is enabled with video capabilities, so it can play highlights, but handing an NBA player a necklace is less than compelling television. Especially when Prime is showcasing jewelry instead of showing an actual game taking place at the same time.

Prime Video has technical and planning issues

The most embarrassing snafu for Prime came when the broadcast cut out completely for two minutes during overtime of Heat-Hornets. The screen went black briefly before being replaced with an anachronistic "Technical Difficulties" sign.

That issue was reportedly due to an issue in a production truck, but the streamer has had issues throughout the season with sound not syncing perfectly with video images. Some of that is due to growing pains in Prime's first year of basketball. But some of these are perfectly avoidable issues.

The pregame show needs to end in time for the actual game to begin as near as possible to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. And if Prime wants to do postgame interviews, trophies, or even sit-downs with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, they have plenty of places to stream that content without being on the NBA feed. Show it at halftime, make it available elsewhere on Prime, or limit it to the second game of the night — but don't pre-empt a playoff game for a meaningless award presentation.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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