Watch NBA Online: Best Streaming Service to Catch Every Game Without Cable and Pay Less

The 2023-24 NBA regular season is expected to begin on October 24th. There is no reason to miss any of your favorite teams’ games with all the national and regional sports networks (RSNs) available from streaming services. Read on to learn all your options!

In a hurry? If you just want to start the new NBA season right, these are your best options:

Unfortunately, these three streaming services aren’t available in . But if you’ve already paid for the right service, and just can’t watch because of your location, there is an easy way to get the content you deserve. You need a VPN, like one of the following.

	ExpressVPN: Known as “The VPN that just works,” it combines remarkable ease of use with with state-of-the-art power, speed, security, and privacy. Get three extra free months when you sign up for a year. Unleash your streaming with this top-rated VPN.	Sign Up Now
	Surfshark: Surfshark: Secure and easy to use with thousands of servers around the world. Of special note is its excellent collection of servers inside the US, which is great for regional sports lie NFL, MLB, and NBA. Get it now with an incredible 82% discount on a 24-month plan.	Sign Up Now
	NordVPN: One of the top VPNs with extremely fast servers all over the world. Great for streaming with tested perfomance on the biggest servers and included ad-blocking. Currently offering 70% discount on 2-year plans.	Sign Up Now

If you’re overwhelmed and not sure where to begin, you’ll find all the answers in our full VPN guide.

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the United States, and its international popularity is growing, as well. While NCAA basketball remains popular, nothing beats the intense action of the pros in the NBA. But what happens if you don’t have cable? Can you watch NBA online without cable TV in 2021?

You sure can! It’s now easier than ever to watch NBA games without cable. In the guide below, we’ll explore how to get an NBA live stream from home without spending a fortune on cable.

Not in the US? Click to see international streaming options.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

NBA Games Today

Here are all the games taking place today. Games without a listed TV channel will be broadcast on the teams’ RSNs locally and on NBA League Pass elsewhere.

Channels You Need to Watch NBA Games Without Cable

NBA coverage is shared by several different channels. And games are broadcast in two ways: nationally and regionally.

Nationally Broadcast NBA Games

This season, national TV coverage is split between the following channels:

• ABC
• ESPN
• NBA TV
• TNT

These channels are available via Sling TV (ABC via ESPN3) and DIRECTV STREAM. FuboTV offers all but TNT and Hulu + Live TV offers all but NBA TV. But you may still want to go with them because of the regionally broadcast games.

Regionally Broadcast NBA Games

If you are fan of your local NBA team and want to watch most games, you will need access to that team’s regional sports network (RSN).

DIRECTV STREAM offers almost every RSN but it is more expensive: $99.99/mo. FuboTV and Hulu + Live TV offer coverage in fewer areas but are less expensive.

Find your team in the following table to determine your choices:

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NBA Playoffs

NBA playoff games are all nationally televised. They will appear on exactly the same channels as the nationally televised regular season games: ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT. The NBA Finals will air exclusively on ABC.

For complete information, see our NBA Play-In Tournament guide and NBA Playoffs Viewer’s Guide.

Unblock Your Favorite Events & Teams With a VPN

If you can’t watch your favorite events or teams because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequaled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.

Get ExpressVPN Today

Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

How to Watch NBA Online Without Cable: At a Glance

For sports fans who have cut the cord, there are a couple of different ways to watch NBA online without cable TV. Keep in mind that these are all paid options — there’s no legal way to watch NBA online for free outside a handful of games on ABC, which you can watch with an antenna. Here are our top recommendations for NBA streaming services:

• FuboTV: Has most of the national channels that feature NBA as well as a good selection of RSNs. You can test it out for free.
• DIRECTV STREAM: The most expensive option at $99.99/mo, but it has all the national channels in addition to the best selection of regional sports networks in the industry. You can try it with a 5-day free trial.
• Hulu + Live TV: Offers a great way to stream NBA without cable and enjoy 85+ great channels plus ESPN+ and Disney+. You’ll get ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT (a must for the NBA All-Star Game and Slam Dunk Contest), regional sports networks, and much more.
• Sling TV: A great low-cost option. For $40.00/mo, you can get TNT and all the ESPN channels. And there are many other options. See our Play-In and Playoffs guides for more info.

The Conference Semifinals are happening now! Watch them all live for less with Sling TV!

• Vidgo: Another cheaper option for watching NBA online. For $69.99/mo, you get the ESPN channels. It’s especially good for football fans.
• NBA League Pass: A good way to watch basketball games without cable. It allows you to watch all out-market games for $99.99 per season. Blackout restrictions apply, however. So if you are a fan of your local team, this is not a good option. We’ll explain more in the guide below.

Using Live TV Streaming Services to Watch NBA Online

If you’re new to the world of cable-free viewing options, you may be unsure of your options. If you’re looking for a complete cable TV alternative, a good option is to get a live TV streaming service.

These services, such as Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV, offer a package of TV channels to watch live. You’ll get a broad selection of networks, covering everything from live sports to news to entertainment. You can get anywhere from 30 to 100+ channels, depending on which package you choose. Essentially, they function a lot like a cable package.

The difference? Price, and flexibility.

Sling TV starts as low as $40.00/mo for 40+ channels while FuboTV is $74.99/mo for well over 100 channels. With the typical cable bill now running $107 a month, that’s a huge cost saving!

Flexibility is also a big plus. These services are contract-free, so you are able to cancel at any time without penalty.

These streaming options work over the internet. You will need a solid internet connection in order to use them. You will also need a compatible device. But if you are reading this, you almost certainly already have both! (See below for the many supported devices and TVs.)

Once you’re signed up for a service, watching NBA online is as easy as tuning in at game time. Keep reading for the specific services we recommend for online NBA streaming.

FuboTV

FuboTV started as a sports-oriented streaming service and has grown into one of the best all-around streaming services with a great live sports selection. The only major NBA channel that it is missing is TNT. And to get NBA Network, you will get to get the Fubo Extra add-on for $7.99/mo. But that gives you over 150 channels.

In addition, FuboTV has a good selection of RSNs — in fact, it covers every team except the Nets, Lakers, and Raptors.

If you aren’t in one of these areas and still want to access your local regional sports network, see DIRECTV STREAM — it’s more expensive but worth it.

In addition to the channels NBA games are featured on, Fubo offers an amazing sports selection. Of its over 120 channel selection, over one-third are sports-oriented. But it also has more than enough other channels to please the whole household.

See our thorough FuboTV review for all the details.

Sign Up for a Free Fubo Trial

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) offers the Choice plan for $99.99/mo. So it’s more expensive than the other plans discussed here. But it’s also a dream come true for NBA fans.

This plan includes all of the national channels you want to watch NBA games. But it also comes with the regional sports networks (RSNs) in your area. If your area is supported by one of the teams listed above under FuboTV, you should go with it because it’s cheaper. But if you are a local fan of any of the other teams, DIRECTV STREAM has you covered!

Note that these RSNs also cover MLB, NHL, and MLS teams. So DIRECTV STREAM provides the whole package. For more details, see our DIRECTV STREAM review.

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NBA League Pass

NBA League Pass is the official streaming service of the NBA. Unlike the other options we’ve discussed, NBA League Pass is only useful for watching NBA without cable. You won’t get any other entertainment options.

To add to that, League Pass comes with severe blackouts for local teams. Basically, you can’t watch your local NBA team(s) on League Pass because they will be blacked out. You also can’t watch any nationally broadcast basketball games. (You can watch blacked-out games after the fact, but it usually takes 3 days to gain access.)

Thus, the service is most useful for fans who don’t live near their favorite teams — a Lakers fan living in Denver, for example.

Here’s the scoop:

• Best for hardcore NBA fans — ideally those who don’t live near their favorite teams
• Only good for NBA streaming – no other content or channels included
• $199.99/year ($119.99/yr for Team Pass)
• You can purchase a single game pass to test the service out ($6.99)
• Watch live games for out-of-market teams
• Live NBA games for local teams are blacked out
• Three-day wait to watch game replays on-demand
• Relive epic NBA moments with a huge on-demand library
• Choose from condensed or full-game replays
• Watch up to 4 games at once with Mosaic View

Basically, we recommend League Pass for two types of people: (1) NBA fans who live far away from their favorite teams and (2) NBA fans that don’t mind waiting for replays after the game. Beyond these groups, the blackouts are a problem.

But for some people, League Pass represents a good way to watch basketball without cable TV. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but for hardcore fans, the special features and ability to watch out-of-market teams may be worthwhile.

Hulu + Live TV

One of the best methods to get an NBA live stream without cable is to use Hulu + Live TV. It supplies all the channels you’ll need for NBA (excluding NBA TV), and offers some of the best coverage of local teams and local sports networks.

Hulu Live TV is an affordable cable TV alternative that gives you over 85 great channels to watch live. It’s easy to use, works on most devices, and is far cheaper than many alternatives. Here’s the scoop:

• Ideal for anyone who wants live and on-demand entertainment
• Over 85 channels to watch live
• $69.99/mo
• No contract or commitment
• Get NBA streaming channels like ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, local channels, and some regional sports networks
• Watch your favorite local team and many nationally broadcast NBA games, including Christmas Day games, as well as events like the NBA Draft
• A great way to watch sports without cable
• Comes with free access to a HUGE on-demand library to enjoy any time.

Hulu + Live TV comes highly recommended because it’s a one-stop-shop for all your entertainment. The 85+ live TV channels cover almost everything you’ll need, and the on-demand library means that you’ll always have something to watch.

For more information, check out our Hulu + Live TV review.

Try Hulu + Live TV Today!

Other Options for Watching NBA Without Cable

There are other ways to stream NBA without being a cable subscriber. Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and League Pass are our top recommendations depending on your needs. But here are some others to consider:

• Sling TV: Highly customizable plans from slingtv-price: that offer ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, NBA TV, TNT and more. See our Sling TV review for more information.
• Vidgo: Great service for football fans (NFL, NCAA) with good coverage of NBA for $69.99/mo. Learn more in our Vidgo review.
• YouTube TV: Similar to Hulu + Live TV, it’s $72.99/mo plan offers ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, TNT, and more.

Watch the NBA Online Internationally

While there are multiple options for watching the NBA online depending on where you live, we recommend you check out ExpressVPN. VPNs allow you to stream without geo-restrictions. So you’ll be able to access streams across the world, and protect your privacy in the process.

Superpower Your Sports Streaming With a VPN

For the sake of privacy, security, and access, you should be using a VPN. They are low-cost and easy to use. We’ve been using them for years and our top pick is ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

i	Our VPN Buyer’s Guide provides a complete introduction and all you need to know to choose the best VPN for your needs.

TVs and Other Devices to Watch NBA

All these streaming services provide apps that run on the most popular devices in use today.

Samsung smart TVs are universally supported. Hulu and Fubo also support smart TVs from LG, Vizio, and Android TV-based TVs. FuboTV supports Hisense TVs.

The popular “stick” devices that allow ordinary TVs to run apps (Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku) are universally supported. And so are Android and iOS mobile devices. And you can use them to cast to your TV with Chromecast.

FuboTV, Hulu, and NBA League Pass support the Xbox One gaming console. Hulu and League Pass also support the PlayStation. And Hulu + Live TV supports the Nintendo Switch.

And, of course, you can watch via a web browser on most devices (which you can connect to your TV). Check our streaming service reviews for complete lists of supported devices.

2023-24 NBA Schedule

See the individual team pages for a complete list of games and channels. Out-of-market games can be watched on NBA League Pass. In-market games can be watched on the team’s RSN.

Here are nationally televised games:

Wrapping Up

So there you have it – the best ways to get an NBA live stream without cable. We hope this guide was helpful. Do note that there is no real way to follow the NBA season for free. You can watch a couple of games on ABC through an antenna. Otherwise, you can watch a couple of highlights on the league’s website.

For further information, check out our guide on how to watch sports online. We explain all the different ways to get rid of cable while still watching the TV you love without spending a fortune! And if you want to catch the G League, read our guide on how to watch NBA G League online.

FuboTV is our top choice for watching most NBA teams. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

FAQs

How can I watch my favorite NBA team online?

Click to learn about watching your favorite team without cable:

Who are the best NBA players ever?

Back in 1996, the NBA released a list of the 50 greatest players ever for the 50th anniversary of the league. It included old stars like George Mikan, greats like Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain, and then current players like Michael Jordan and Karl Malone. But many great players have come since. Kobe Bryant was only drafted in 1996. And LeBron James wouldn’t enter the league until 2003.

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Frank Moraes

Frank Moraes is Content Editor at HotDog.com. He specializes in streaming, sports, and technology. You can see his writing on low-budget and "weird" film at Psychotronic Review — and many other places.

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