Watch NBA Games this Season
NBA games air nationally on NBA-TV, ESPN, TNT or ABC on a rotating basis throughout the regular season, into the NBA Playoffs and on through the NBA Finals. This table provides each channels' national broadcast schedule, with live stream links and app downloads so you can watch any game live from your computer, mobile device or streaming box. Login credentials are required to access any live game feeds.
| Broadcast | Channel | Regular & Postseason Broadcast Schedule | Watch Link | App |
| NBA TV | NBA-TV | Games any given day of the regular season except Thurs (typically Mon, Tues or Sat with occasional Wed, Fri or Sun games when ESPN can't air games), some first round NBA Playoff games | NBA TV | NBA app |
| NBA on ESPN | ESPN | Doubleheaders most Wed & Fri nights of the regular season, first & second round NBA Playoff games, one conference final series every season | WatchESPN | ESPN app |
| NBA on TNT | TNT | Doubleheaders most Thurs nights of regular season, doubleheaders most Tues nights starting late January, first & second round NBA Playoff games, one conference final series every season | Watch TNT | TNT app |
| NBA on ABC | ABC | Multiple games on Christmas Day, a single game some Sat nights & Sun afternoons starting mid-season, first & second round NBA Playoffs games, entire NBA Finals | WatchESPN | ESPN app |
*ESPN, TNT & NBA-TV are all cable channels; you'll need a cable plan in order to watch. Providers that carry all four channels are listed in a table at the bottom of this page. ABC is a local channel you can access for free with a digital antenna hooked up to your television. Otherwise ABC is included in most cable plans as part of a local TV lineup.
NBA Holiday Games - Christmas, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The NBA airs five games on Christmas Day; a tradition they've kept up for over a decade now. All Christmas Day games air on either ESPN or ABC any given season, under the 'NBA on Christmas Day' moniker. Games usually start at noon ET and go into the late evening, all airing at different times so you can watch all five games throughout the day.
And TNT and NBA-TV are the channels to watch games on MLK Jr. Day. TNT airs a triple-header on this day (three back-to-back games) while NBA-TV kicks off the day with a single game, usually starting in the early afternoon. The three TNT games begin after the NBA-TV broadcast, so you can watch all four games throughout the day.
*Flex Scheduling for TV Networks Airing Games
Every TV network airing NBA games can use what's called 'flexible scheduling', meaning they can replace previously scheduled games with more compelling matchups throughout the season, at any given time.
They have to give us at least two week's notice though so it's somewhat rare, given how hard it is to coordinate changes for games with short notice to staff, talent, arenas, etc. But it goes happen a handful of times a year, especially if a team turns out to be really good in a season where no one expected them to be, or on the flip side if a team loses star power due to major injuries. Also can happen more in the final week of the regular season as they only have to provide one week's notice, so they can broadcast the best games with playoff intrigue.
NBA League Pass: Watch Out-of-Market NBA Games
NBA League Pass is owned and operated by the NBA. This service allows you to watch or live stream every single out-of-market NBA game. Keep in mind you won't get every NBA game through this service; they blackout nationally aired games for broadcasting rights reasons. So consider this option in addition to having cable TV, if your aim is to watch every single NBA game of the season without restrictions.
You can subscribe to NBA League Pass either monthly or annually, and they have many different packages that cater to specific fans. You also don't need cable to get NBA League Pass; it's offered as a standalone service online. But if you do have cable, the service is available as an add-on to your current monthly plan through these providers: U-verse, DirecTV, Dish, FuboTV, Sling TV, YouTube TV and many other regional cable providers.
NBA League Pass has options for watching all out-of-market games for the entire league, or what they call 'NBA Team Pass' so you can pay less monthly or yearly and get access to just one team. Amazon Prime Video also offers access to this service if you prefer to use their streaming platform; the price is the same. Also if you hate commercials they have a premium plan where you pay a little extra but don't have to watch any ads.
NBA League Pass Add-ons
NBA League Pass add-on options can all be purchased without the need to subscribe to any of the main passes. For example, you can get NBA Audio Pass only, without purchasing any other NBA League Pass subscriptions. Same for single game access or the VR option.
| NBA League Pass Add-Ons | Description of Add-on | One-Time Cost, Per Season |
| Virtual Reality | Use your VR headset to watch select NBA League Pass games | $49.99 |
| NBA Audio Pass | Listen to live play-by-play for every NBA game, either HOME or AWAY broadcasts | $9.99 |
| Single Game | Choice any single out-of-market game of the season to stream live | $5.99 |
Watch NBA Games in 4K with DirecTV
Satellite TV provider DirecTV now offers over 16 NBA games during the regular season in up to 4K resolution, 4K/HDR. And the owner, AT&T is looking to expand that game count every season.
Currently DirecTV is the only major cable TV provider that offers 4K NBA games, which can be found on their channels 105 or 106 if you have the Select package or higher.
Listen to NBA Games - Live Play-by-Play Radio
Listen to live radio play-by-play of every single NBA game with either of these options - both come with the ability to either listen to the HOME or AWAY team's play-by-play coverage.
The best choice has to be NBA Audio Pass as you can purchase an entire season's worth of NBA play-by-play audio for all teams for just $9.99 flat. SiriusXM is a solid option if you want more than just NBA games; it also includes play-by-play for the NFL, MLB and NHL along with hundreds of music, sports, news and talk show stations. Keep in mind SiriusXM comes with a monthly fee, but they do offer a free trial and typically heavily discounted intro offers.
NBA on ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio airs live play-by-play for select high profile games throughout the regular season. They also broadcast the NBA All-Star Game and the entire NBA Finals. Listen to the live stream for free with the ESPN Radio player. Use the station directory drop down if you want to toggle between any of the official ESPN Radio affiliates across the US. You can also listen live for free with the ESPN app.