The 2023 NBA playoffs are on! Fans won’t want to miss a second of the action. Thankfully, you can watch NBA Playoffs without cable or satellite thanks to a host of new live TV streaming services. Read on to learn all your options.
In a hurry? The playoffs will air on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT. You will get those channels and more with these excellent services:
- DIRECTV STREAM: Get a great channel lineup with the best selection of RSNs in the industry. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: This low-cost service allows you to select just the channel lineup you want. Save with Sling TV.
If you can’t watch your favorite sports because of your location, get ExpressVPN to access the content you deserve.
Table Of Contents
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If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequalled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
NBA Playoffs Channels
First things first; if you want to watch the NBA Finals games without cable, you’ll need to know what channels they air on first. Unlike the regular season with blackouts and out-of-market games, the playoffs are broadcast nationwide.
There are three channels that the NBA playoff games will air on, and they are ABC, ESPN, TNT, and some minor early coverage on NBA TV. The schedule looks like this:
- NBA Play-In: April 11th – 14th
- NBA Playoffs First Round: April 15th – 30th
- NBA Playoffs Semifinals: May 1st – 29th
- NBA Finals: June 1st – 18th
Keep in mind is that all the games airing on ABC will mostly likely also be airing on ESPN3. In general, ESPN3 airs all ABC Sports events. And ESPN3 aired the NBA finals last year.
This is important because Sling TV does not offer ABC but does offer ESPN3 (it is the only service that offers it within its own app and channel guide).
Watching NBA Playoffs Without Cable
Your best bet for watching the NBA playoffs is with a streaming service. But you can watch a lot of games absolutely free if you want.
Antenna
The cheapest way to get ABC is through a simple over-the-air (OTA) antenna. Far more advanced than their rabbit-eared ancestors, OTA antennas can give you all of the broadcast channels you know and love (ABC included, plus NBC, CBS, and Fox) in 1080i HD picture for free (minus the cost of the antenna, of course). Our favorite OTA antenna brand is Mohu, but feel free to shop around.
See our Indoor HD Antenna Guide for all the information on choosing and setting up an antenna.
Streaming
The major streaming services allow you to watch most of the NBA Playoffs and Finals. And most of them allow you to watch every game from the Play-in through the Finals.
- Sling TV: For just $40.00/mo, Sling Orange provides ESPN, ESPN3 (ABC Sports), and TNT. You can get NBA TV with the Sports Extra add-on for $11/mo more. The base plan comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR. (Sling TV review) (NBA Playoffs Guide)
- DIRECTV STREAM: The Choice plan ($99.99/mo) gives you ABC, ESPN, TV, and NBA TV. But probably more important, it provides subscribers in just about every area with their local RSNs, which are the only way to watch all the regular season games of your local team(s). All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR and streaming on unlimited devices at the same time. (DIRECTV STREAM review)
- Hulu + Live TV: Adds 85+ live TV channels to the Hulu Bundle of on-demand library, ESPN+, and Disney+. It includes ABC, ESPN, and TNT. It does not, however, offer NBA TV. The plan comes with unlimited hours of cloud DVR and streaming on up to two devices at once. (Hulu + Live TV review)
- FuboTV: This is a great streaming service for sports fans with over 130 channels. But it lacks TNT so it probably isn’t the best channel if basketball is the focus of your viewing. For $74.99/mo, you also get 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage and streaming on up to 10 devices at home and two away. (FuboTV review)
- Vidgo: For $69.99/mo, you get 100+ channels that are especially good for ESPN-related channels. It also doesn’t offer TNT, however. And it doesn’t provide a DVR. But it does allow you to stream on up to 3 devices at once. (Vidgo review)
- YouTube TV: A solid streaming service similar in many ways to Hulu + Live TV. It is slightly less expensive ($72.99/mo) and does offer NBA TV but lacks ESPN+ and Disney+.
Superpower Your Live TV Streaming With a VPN
You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN.
| i | See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs. |
Devices to Live Stream NBA Finals
All the streaming TV providers discussed above have apps that run on the most popular streaming devices in use today.
Samsung smart TVs are supported by all services except for Vidgo. Other than DIRECTV STREAM and Vidgo, they all support smart TVs from LG and Vizio. Android TV-based TVs are supported by all except for DIRECTV STREAM.
TV stick devices that turn ordinary TVs into streaming TV (Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku) are supported by all services. That’s also true of mobile devices running Android and iOS. And you can use them (and some web browsers) to cast to your TV with Chromecast.
All the services except Vidgo and DIRECTV STREAM support the Xbox One gaming console. Hulu and YouTube support the PlayStation. And Hulu also supports the Nintendo Switch.
You can also watch via a web browser on most devices, which you can connect to your TV. See our streaming service reviews for details.
2023 NBA Playoff Schedule
The NBA released the 2023 game schedule on August 17, 2022. Here are the key dates for the Playoffs:
- Tue Apr 11 – Fri Apr 14: Play-In Tournament
- Sat Apr 15: Playoffs begin
- Thu Jun 1: Finals Game 1
We’ll post more information here as it becomes available!
Want to know more about watching the NBA? See our complete NBA Viewers Guide for everything you need to know.
2023 NBA Playoff Teams
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
- Boston Celtics
- Philadelphia 76ers
- New York Knicks
- Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors
Central Division
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Chicago Bulls
Southeast Division
- Miami Heat
- Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference
Northwest Division
- Denver Nuggets
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Oklahoma City Thunder
Pacific Division
- Sacramento Kings
- Phoenix Suns
- LA Clippers
- Golden State Warriors
- Los Angeles Lakers
Southwest Division
- Memphis Grizzlies
- New Orleans Pelicans
2023 NBA Play-In Round
Tuesday, April 11
- : Atlanta Hawks (116) at Miami Heat (105) (TNT)
- : Minnesota Timberwolves (102) vs Los Angeles Lakers (108) (TNT)
Wednesday, April 12
- : Chicago Bulls (109) at Toronto Raptors(105) (ESPN)
- : Oklahoma City Thunder (123) at New Orleans Pelicans (118) (ESPN)
Friday, April 14
- : Chicago Bulls (91) at Miami Heat (102) (TNT)
- : Oklahoma City Thunder (95) at Minnesota Timberwolves (120) (ESPN)
2023 NBA Playoffs
Saturday, April 15
- : Nets (101) at Sixers (121) (ESPN)
- : Hawks (99) at Celtics (112) (ESPN)
- : Knicks (101) at Cavaliers (97) (ESPN)
- : Warriors (123) at Kings (126) (ABC)
Sunday, April 16
- : Lakers (128) at Grizzlies (112) (ABC)
- : Heat (130) at Bucks (117) (TNT)
- : Clippers (115) at Suns (110) (TNT)
- : Timberwolves (80) at Nuggets (109) (TNT)
Monday, April 17
- : Nets (84) at 76ers (96) (TNT)
- : Warriors (106) at Kings (114) (TNT)
Tuesday, April 18
- : Hawks (106) at Celtics (119) (NBA TV)
- : Knicks (90) at Cavaliers (107) (TNT)
- : Clippers (109) at Suns (123) (TNT)
Wednesday, April 19
- : Lakers (93) at Grizzlies (103) (TNT)
- : Heat (122) at Bucks (138) (NBA TV)
- : Timberwolves (113) at Nuggets (122) (TNT)
Thursday, April 20
- : 76ers (102) at Nets (97) (TNT)
- : Kings (97) at Warriors (114) (TNT)
- : Suns (129) at Clippers (124) (NBA TV)
Friday, April 21
- : Celtics (122) at Hawks (130) (ESPN)
- : Cavaliers (79) at Knicks (99) (ABC)
- : Nuggets (120) at Timberwolves (111) (ESPN)
Saturday, April 22
- : 76ers (96) at Nets (88) (TNT)
- : Suns (112) at Clippers (100) (TNT)
- : Bucks (99) at Heat (121) (ESPN)
- : Grizzlies (101) at Lakers (111) (ESPN)
Sunday, April 23
- : Cavaliers (93) at Knicks (102) (ABC)
- : Kings (125) at Warriors (126) (ABC)
- : Celtics (129) at Hawks (121) (TNT)
- : Nuggets (108) at Timberwolves (114) (TNT)
Monday, April 24
- : Bucks (114) at Heat (119) (TNT)
- : Grizzlies (111) at Lakers (117) (TNT)
Tuesday, April 25
- : Hawks (119) at Celtics (117) (TNT)
- : Timberwolves (109) at Nuggets (112) (NBA TV)
- : Clippers (130) at Suns (136) (TNT)
Wednesday, April 26
- : Knicks (106) at Cavaliers (95) (NBA TV)
- : Lakers (99) at Grizzlies (116) (TNT)
- : Heat (128) at Bucks (126) (NBA TV)
- : Warriors (123) at Kings (116) (TNT)
Thursday, April 27
- : Celtics (128) vs Hawks (120) (TNT)
Friday, April 28
- : Kings (118) vs Warriors (99) (ESPN)
- : Grizzlies (85) vs Lakers (125) (ESPN)
Sunday, April 30
- : Warriors (120) vs Kings (100) (ABC)
Monday, May 1
- : 76ers (119) vs Celtics (115) (TNT)
- : Suns (97) vs Nuggets (87) (TNT)
Tuesday, May 2
- : Heat (105) vs Knicks (111) (TNT)
- : Lakers (117) vs Warriors (112) (TNT)
Wednesday, May 3
- : 76ers (87) vs Celtics (121) (TNT)
Thursday, May 4
- : Lakers (100) vs Warriors (127) (ESPN)
Friday, May 5
- : Celtics (114) vs 76ers (102) (ESPN)
- : Nuggets (114) vs Suns (121) (ESPN/ESPN2)
Saturday, May 6
- : Knicks (86) vs Heat (105) (ABC)
- : Lakers (127) vs Warriors (97) (ABC)
Sunday, May 7
- : Celtics (115) vs 76ers (116) (ESPN)
- : Nuggets (124) vs Suns (129) (TNT)
Monday, May 8
- : Knicks (101) vs Heat (109) (TNT)
- : Lakers (104) vs Warriors (101) (TNT)
Tuesday, May 9
- : 76ers (115) vs Celtics (103)
- : Suns (102) vs Nuggets (118)
Wednesday, May 10
- : Heat (103) vs Knicks (112)
- : Lakers (106) vs Warriors (121)
Thursday, May 11
- : Celtics (95) vs 76ers (86)
- : Nuggets (125) vs Suns (100)
Friday, May 12
- : Knicks (92) vs Heat (96)
- : Warriors (101) vs Lakers (122)
Sunday, May 14
- : 76ers (88) vs Celtics (112)
Conference Finals
Tuesday, May 16
- : Lakers (126) vs Nuggets (132) (ESPN)
Wednesday, May 17
- : Heats (123) vs Celtics (116) (TNT)
Thursday, May 18
- : Lakers (103) vs Nuggets (108) (ESPN)
Friday, May 19
- : Heat (111) vs Celtics (105) (TNT)
Saturday, May 20
- : Nuggets (119) vs Lakers (108) (ABC)
Sunday, May 21
- : Celtics (102) vs Heat (128) (TNT)
Monday, May 22
- : Nuggets (113) vs Lakers (11) (ESPN)
Tuesday, May 23
- : Celtics (116) vs Heat (99) (TNT)
Thursday, May 25
- : Heat (97) vs Celtics (110) (TNT)
Saturday, May 27
- : Celtics (104) vs Heat (103) (TNT)
Monday, May 29
- : Heat vs Celtics – Game 7 (TNT)
2023 NBA Playoffs Finals schedule
- Jun 1: Nuggets vs Heat/Celtics Game 1
- Jun 4: Nuggets vs Heat/Celtics Game 2
- Jun 7: Nuggets vs Heat/Celtics Game 3
- Jun 9: Nuggets vs Heat/Celtics Game 4
- Jun 12: Nuggets vs Heat/Celtics Game 5 (if necessary)
- Jun 15: Nuggets vs Heat/Celtics Game 6 (if necessary)
- Jun 18: Nuggets vs Heat/Celtics Game 7 (if necessary)
Wrapping Up
You can stream every game of the 2023 NBA playoffs and finals. Don’t miss a game!
Sling TV is our top choice for the NBA finals. Save $10 on your first month of Sling TV.
FAQs
What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
After the regular season, the 7th through 10th best teams in each conference compete to get the last two playoff spots. It is similar to the First Four during March Madness, but way more complicated! The 7th and 8th teams play and the winner goes to the playoffs. The loser plays the winner of the 9th and 10th team game, and the winner of that goes to the playoffs.
Confused? It’s actually simpler than it sounds. The 7th and 8th teams need to win one of two games to make the playoffs. The 9th and 10th teams need to win two of two games.
- Team 8 at Team 7
- Winner: go to playoffs
- Loser: go to Step 3
- Team 10 at Team 9
- Winner: go to Step 3
- Loser: see you next season
- Step 2 Winner at Step 1 Loser
- Winner: go to playoffs
- Loser: see you next season.
What were the final results of the 2022 NBA regular season?
Eastern Conference
- Miami Heat
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Boston Celtics
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Toronto Raptors
- Chicago Bulls.
And the Play-In teams:
- New Jersey Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Atlanta Hawks
- Charlotte Hornets.
Western Conference
- Phoenix Suns
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Golden State Warriors
- Dallas Mavericks
- Utah Jazz
- Denver Nuggets.
And the Play-In teams:
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Los Angeles Clippers
- New Orleans Pelicans
- San Antonio Spurs.
What were the results of the 2022 NBA Playoff?
The Golden State Warriors met the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA playoffs final. The Warriors won the series 4 games to 2.
Play-In
- Tue Apr 12 : Cavaliers (108) at Nets (115) (TNT)
- Tue Apr 12 : Clippers (104) at Timberwolves (104) (TNT)
- Wed Apr 13 : Hornets (103) at Hawks (132) (ESPN)
- Wed Apr 13 : Spurs (103) at Pelicans (113) (ESPN)
- Fri Apr 15 : Hawks (107) at Cavaliers (101) (ESPN)
- Fri Apr 15 : Pelicans(105) at Clippers (101) (TNT)
First-Round Series
- Sat Apr 16 : Utah (99) at Dallas (93) (ESPN)
- Sat Apr 16 : Minnesota (130) at Memphis (117) (ESPN)
- Sat Apr 16 : Toronto (111) at Philadelphia (131) (ESPN)
- Sat Apr 16 : Denver (107) at Golden State (123) (ABC)
- Sun Apr 17 : Atlanta (91) at Miami (115) (TNT)
- Sun Apr 17 : Brooklyn (114) at Boston (115) (ABC)
- Sun Apr 17 : Chicago (86) at Milwaukee (93) (TNT)
- Sun Apr 17 : New Orleans (99) at Phoenix (110) (TNT)
- Mon Apr 18 : Toronto (97) at Philadelphia (112) (TNT)
- Mon Apr 18 : Utah (104) at Dallas (110) (NBA TV)
- Mon Apr 18 : Denver (106) at Golden State (126) (TNT)
- Tue Apr 19 : Atlanta (105) at Miami (115) (TNT)
- Tue Apr 19 : Minnesota (96) at Memphis (124) (NBA TV)
- Tue Apr 19 : New Orleans (125) at Phoenix (114) (TNT)
- Wed Apr 20 : Brooklyn (107) at Boston (114) (TNT)
- Wed Apr 20 : Philadelphia (104) at Toronto (101) (NBA TV)
- Wed Apr 20 : Chicago (114) at Milwaukee (110) (TNT)
- Thu Apr 21 : Memphis (104) at Minnesota (95) (TNT)
- Thu Apr 21 : Dallas (126) at Utah (118) (NBA TV)
- Thu Apr 21 : Golden State (118) at Denver (113) (TNT)
- Fri Apr 22 : Miami (110) at Atlanta (111) (ESPN)
- Fri Apr 22 : Milwaukee (111) at Chicago (81) (ABC)
- Fri Apr 22 : Phoenix (114) at New Orleans (111) (ESPN)
- Sat Apr 23 : Philadelphia (102) at Toronto (110) (TNT)
- Sat Apr 23 : Dallas (99) at Utah (100) (TNT)
- Sat Apr 23 : Boston (109) at Brooklyn (103) (ESPN)
- Sat Apr 23 : Memphis (118) at Minnesota (119) (ESPN)
- Sun Apr 24 : Milwaukee (119) at Chicago (95) (ABC)
- Sun Apr 24 : Golden State (121) at Denver (126) (ABC)
- Sun Apr 24 : Miami (110) at Atlanta (86) (TNT)
- Sun Apr 24 : Phoenix (103) at New Orleans (118) (TNT)
- Mon Apr 25 : Boston (116) at Brooklyn (112) (TNT)
- Mon Apr 25 : Toronto (103) at Philadelphia (88) (NBA TV)
- Mon Apr 25 : Utah (77) at Dallas (102) (TNT)
- Tue Apr 26 : Atlanta (94) at Miami (97) (NBA TV)
- Tue Apr 26 : Minnesota (109) at Memphis (111) (TNT)
- Tue Apr 26 : New Orleans (97) at Phoenix (112) (TNT)
- Wed Apr 27 : Chicago (100) at Milwaukee (116) (TNT)
- Wed Apr 27 : Denver (98) at Golden State (102) (TNT)
- Thu Apr 28 : Philadelphia (132) at Toronto (97) (NBA TV)
- Thu Apr 28 : Phoenix (115) at New Orleans (109) (TNT)
- Thu Apr 28 : Dallas (98) at Utah (96) (TNT)
- Fri Apr 29 : Memphis (114) at Minnesota (106) (ESPN)
Conference Semifinals
- Sun May 1 : Milwaukee (101) at Boston (89) (ABC)
- Sun May 1 : Golden State (117) at Memphis (116) (ABC)
- Mon May 2 : Philadelphia (92) at Miami (106) (TNT)
- Mon May 2 : Dallas (114) at Phoenix (121) (TNT)
- Tue May 3 : Milwaukee (86) at Boston (109) (TNT)
- Tue May 3 : Golden State (101) at Memphis (106) (TNT)
- Wed May 4 : Philadelphia (103) at Miami (119) (TNT)
- Wed May 4 : Dallas (109) at Phoenix (129) (TNT)
- Fri May 6 : Miami (79) at Philadelphia (99) (ESPN)
- Fri May 6 : Phoenix (94) at Dallas (103) (ESPN)
- Sat May 7 : Boston (101) at Milwaukee (103) (ABC)
- Sat May 7 : Memphis (112) at Golden State (142) (ABC)
- Sun May 8 : Phoenix (101) at Dallas (111) (ESPN)
- Sun May 8 : Miami (108) at Philadelphia (116) (TNT)
- Mon May 9 : Boston (116) at Milwaukee (108) (TNT)
- Mon May 9 : Memphis (98) at Golden State (101) (TNT)
- Tue May 10 : Philadelphia (85) vs Miami (120) (TNT)
- Tue May 10 : Dallas (80) vs Phoenix (110) (TNT)
- Wed May 11 : Milwaukee (110) at Boston (107) (TNT)
- Wed May 11 : Golden State (95) at Memphis (134) (TNT)
- Thu May 12 : Miami (99) vs Philadelphia (90) (ESPN)
- Thu May 12 : Phoenix (86) at Dallas (113) (ESPN)
- Fri May 13 : Boston (108) at Milwaukee (95) (ESPN)
- Fri May 13 : Memphis (96) at Golden State (110) (ESPN)
- Sun May 15 : Milwaukee (81) at Boston (109) (ABC)
- Sun May 15 : Dallas (123) at Phoenix (90) (TNT)
Conference Finals
- Tue May 17 : Boston (107) at Miami (118) (ESPN)
- Wed May 18 : Dallas (87) vs Golden State (112) (TNT)
- Thu May 19 : Boston (127) at Miami (102) (ESPN)
- Fri May 20 : Dallas (117) vs Golden State (126) (TNT)
- Sat May 21 : Miami (109) at Boston (103) (ABC)
- Sun May 22 : Golden State (109) at Dallas (100) (TNT)
- Mon May 23 : Miami (82) at Boston (102) (ABC)
- Tue May 24 : Golden State (109) at Dallas (119) (TNT)
- Wed May 25 : Boston (93) at Miami (80) (ESPN)
- Thu May 26 : Dallas (110) at Golden State (120) (TNT)
- Fri May 27 : Miami (111) at Boston (103) (ESPN)
- Sun May 29 : Boston (100) at Miami (96) (ESPN)
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals were shown on ABC, ESPN3, and ESPN Deportes.
- Thu Jun 2 : Boston (120) at Golden State (108)
- Sun Jun 5 : Boston (88) at Golden State (107)
- Wed Jun 8 : Golden State (100) at Boston (116)
- Fri Jun 10 : Golden State (107) at Boston (97)
- Mon Jun 13 : Boston (94) at Golden State (104)
- Thu Jun 16 : Golden State (103) at Boston (90)
Can I watch the NBA Playoffs with the NBA League Pass?
No. The NBA League Pass is a great way to get as many non-local games as possible (local games will be televised on your local station), but it doesn’t stream any nationally televised games on ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV — and that includes the playoffs.
How can I watch championships and tournaments in other sports?
Don’t worry, no matter what your favorite sport is, we’ve got you covered! If you’re into college hoops, we’ve got March Madness on Sling TV: Men’s guide, Men’s schedule, Women’s final. Browse through our other guides for all the biggest contests:
How can I watch individual NBA teams without cable?
We’ve written guides for all the teams. Take your pick:
Ditch “Big Cable” Now – 3 Simple Steps to Cut the Cord
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- Get the content you deserve with the best VPN.
- Supercharge your internet provider
That’s it — you’ll save money, take back control, and enjoy TV more!
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