How to watch NBA games live in 2024

You don't need an expensive cable package to keep up with your favorite teams. It’s actually incredibly easy to stream NBA games live without a cable subscription. Several popular streaming services offer the channels you need to watch games, whether you’re a Golden State Warriors devotee or a diehard Cleveland Cavaliers fan. 

The answer to how to watch NBA games live is simple: just about any of your currently live TV streamers will give you access. Most of them are equipped with channels like ESPN, TNT and more. So next time you find yourself flipping channels and asking, “Where can I watch NBA games?” let us help you. 

Where to watch NBA games

Most games this season will be found on networks like ESPN, TNT and NBA TV, but you’ll also find a lot of games on your local affiliates with ABC. Regional sports networks will also air games, and the availability of those channels will vary based on your location and what streaming service you have.

Note: Due to a carriage dispute, Hearst-owned local channels, including ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MNT and IND have been removed from the DISH lineup in 27 markets. See the notice from DISH for more information.

Sling TV (Featured partner)

Sling TV has three plans: Sling Orange, Sling Blue, and a combo Sling Orange & Blue. Sling Orange costs $40 per month for 30+ channels. Sling Blue costs $40 per month for 40+ channels. The combo Sling Orange & Blue costs $55 per month for all of the channels (around 50). Sling TV is the most cost-effective streaming service on the market, and yet you’ll still get a lot of the channels you’re after if you’re a sports fan. 

While you can’t get most regional sports networks on Sling TV, you can get ABC, TNT and ESPN if you get the combo package. To get NBA TV, you’ll need the Sports Extra add-on, which costs $11 per month.

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM offers three packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate and Premier. The Entertainment package is $79.99 per month with 75+ channels, the Choice package is $108.99 per month with 105+ channels, the Ultimate package is $119.99 per month with 140+ channels and the Premier package is $164.99 with 150+ channels. DIRECTV STREAM currently offers a five-day free trial, so you can test out the service before you commit to a subscription.

Sports fans will find a lot of channels to love in each of the packages, though the higher up in the plans they go, the more channels they’ll have to enjoy. Regional sports networks are included in all the plans except for Entertainment, and once you get up to the Premier package, the Sports Pack is also included (which gives you access to a ton of extra channels). If you have Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate, you can add on the Sports Pack for $14.99 per month. 

ESPN and TNT are readily available on DIRECTV STREAM, no matter which package you purchase, and NBA TV is available in Choice and above (though it’s included in the Sports Pack if you want to add it to the Entertainment package). You can also stream ABC, as well as regional sports networks (on Choice and above), in some areas. Check your local availability of RSNs on DIRECTV STREAM here.

Fubo

Fubo offers three plans for subscribers to choose from. The Pro plan is $79.99 and has 170+ channels. The Elite plan is $89.99 and has 240+ channels. The Ultimate plan is $99.99 and has 290+ channels. The channel number varies based on your location, but it should be around this number. All the Fubo plans also include cloud DVR with 1,000 hours of recording capability, so you can record your games and watch them later if you need to. Fubo currently offers a seven-day free trial.

Fubo is a sports-lovers paradise because it has all the channels you need. You’ll be able to stream your local ABC affiliate, TNT and ESPN easily, though you’ll need the Sports Plus add-on for another $10.99 per month to get NBA TV. As for your regional sports networks, there are several, including those from Bally, AT&T and NBC Sports. See all of the available channels here.

Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV only offers two plans: with ads and without ads. Hulu + Live TV (with ads) costs $76.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV (no ads) costs $89.99 per month. Both plans come with the same number of channels (over 90), and both come with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. ESPN Plus on the ad-free Hulu plan, however, does still include ads. 

Hulu + Live TV has a good selection of channels you’ll need to watch NBA games, including ABC, TNT and ESPN. Regional sports networks are unfortunately very limited on Hulu + Live TV — you’ll pretty much only have access to NBC Sports networks in some markets. You also won’t be able to get NBA TV with Hulu + Live TV, and unfortunately, ESPN+ won’t be a huge help with your live NBA streaming (unless you also have a cable subscription). 

YouTube TV

YouTube TV keeps its service simple, offering just one plan for $72.99 that includes more than 100 channels. There’s a little bit of everything — including your sports networks, like ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV. While there’s not much in the way of regional sports networks — just some NBC Sports stations — there are other sports channels if you want to catch other games. YouTube TV currently offers a two-day free trial.

Out-of-market games on NBA League Pass

NBA League Pass is just another way to catch your favorite NBA team’s games. It costs $14.99 per month (or $19.99 for a premium plan) and gives you access to live and on-demand games, including out-of-market games. Be advised, though, that you’ll deal with blackouts on NBA League Pass, which means your local games won’t be available to watch live on the app. This is a great way to access even more games, even if you can’t get them live.

One Last Thought

There are plenty of ways to stream NBA games without a cable subscription — for a number of price points. Whether you want a robust streaming package (like DIRECTV STREAM’s Premier package) or something streamlined (like Sling TV’s slim packages), there are plenty of live-TV viewing options to pick from, and all of them will help you watch your favorite NBA teams and players.

FAQ

How can I watch NBA games for free?

You can try a few of the streaming apps for free with a free trial to watch NBA games for free. It won’t get you a whole season, but if you just want key games — like the NBA Finals — you could potentially watch for free.

Is NBA League Pass worth it?

If you’re looking for out-of-market games, NBA League Pass is worth the $14.99 per month. Since you can’t watch your local games, you will only find it worth the price if you’re trying to watch teams that are not local to your region.

Does ESPN+ on Hulu include NBA?

The only way to watch NBA games on ESPN+ is by logging in with a cable subscription, so if you’ve cut the cord, you likely won’t be able to watch live NBA games on ESPN+ through Hulu. You can, however, watch NBA games on live channels on Hulu.