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Excited for the NBA playoffs? The NBA Playoffs semi-finals continues with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers lacing up for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals airing on ESPN, on Thursday (May 9).
Oklahoma City and Dallas Mavericks will face on for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals airing directly after the Celtics vs. Cavaliers game on Thursday.
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The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers face off in Game 3 of the playoffs on Friday on ESPN.
The 2023-24 NBA season launched on Oct. 24, 2023 and ended on April 14, ahead of the Play-In Tournament, which launches the postseason. The remaining playoffs games will broadcast live across TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV.
If you’re a sports fan, there are plenty of affordable streaming options that offer NBA coverage live and on demand.
Read on for details on how to watch and stream the NBA playoffs without cable.
Where to Watch the NBA Playoffs Online
Those who have access to cable or satellite can stream tonight’s games live, without paying out of pocket, depending on your streaming plan.
Can you watch ESPN, TNT and ABC without cable? Yes! You can stream those channels and more on DirecTV Stream, Fubo and Sling TV, and select games on Max.
Most streamers offer a free trial or a discount at sign up, so you won’t necessarily have to spend anything up front. To help you shop for the right package, we collected a short list of some of the more affordable streamers and what they offer for NBA fans.
How to Watch the NBA Playoffs on DirectTV Stream
Join DirecTV Stream under a free trial for first five days to enjoy your favorite sports and other entertainment. The cheapest plan features 75+ channels: ABC, TNT, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, SEC, MLB Network, TLC, CBS, USA, Bravo, E!, BET, MTV and more for $70/month.
Shopping for an upgrade? Subscribe to DirecTV’s Choice, Ultimate or Premiere plan to stream more channels. The Premier plan also includes free Max, Starz, Paramount+ With Showtime and Cinemax. There’s also an Óptimo Más package with 100+ channels — 55+ in Spanish and 40+ in English.
How to Watch the NBA Playoffs on Fubo
Fubo Pro is $74.99/ month after a 7-day free trial, and you’ll get to watch 151 channels including ESPN, TNT and over 100 sporting events. Plus, access to cloud DVR (1,000 hours) and you can stream from unlimited screens at home. For Spanish-speaking sports fans, Fubo has a Latino package for $32.99 per month.
How to Watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV
Sling TV is another streaming option for sports fans on a budget. With Sling TV, you can stream ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT and other channels for just $20 for the first month. Or, save $30 for three months and stream NBA playoffs games for just $90. Click below to join.
Can You Watch the NBA Playoffs on NBA League Pass?
If you’re a die-hard basketball fan, NBA League Pass is a safe choice because it lets subscribers access hundreds of live games and 24/7 access to news, highlights, studio shows and classic games from the archives, starting at $14.99/month (or $99 per season). Unfortunately, the NBA Playoffs won’t be available on NBA League or ESPN+.
Though playoffs games won’t be available, you can find a nice selection of NBA programs on ESPN+ such as NBA Today, NBA Countdown, NBA Courtside, along with ESPN+ originals like The Last Dance, Ahmad Inside, The Boardroom and Basketball: A Love Story.
ESPN+ also carries NFL, MLB, NHL, UFC, LaLiga, college football and other sports. Subscriptions start at $9.99/month.
Need more streamers for live television? Hulu + Live TV has over 90 channels, plus access to ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+, and a free trial for three days. Verizon Fios, YouTube TV and T-Mobile are a few other options for live television, and if you’re streaming internationally, ExpressVPN will give you access to certain channels and streaming platforms.
NBA Playoffs 2024 Schedule
The 2024 NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel launched last month with an ESPN quadruple-header. Round 2 of the playoffs continues until mid-May and leads into the NBA Finals in June.
The NBA Playoffs have been an exciting ride, and it’s only Round 2.
What are the stats so far? The Celtics won Game 1 against the Cavaliers, the Knicks are up 2-0 against the Pacers, Oklahoma City beat the Mavericks in Game 1 of the semifinals and the Timberwolves won Games 1 and 2 against the Nuggets.
Tonight’s schedule includes the Celtics vs. Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and Thunder vs. Mavericks game at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. on ESPN and the ESPN app.
Game 3 between the Knicks and Pacers is slated for Friday at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN. The Nuggets will play the Timberwolves at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN.
What’s on the NBA schedule for Mother’s Day Weekend? The Mavericks vs. Thunder, Celtics vs. Cavaliers and Knicks vs. Pacers games will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
Want to watch NBA Playoffs games in person? Tickers are available on sites like StubHub, Gametime, Seat Geek and NBA.com.