How To Watch NBA Games on TV: Your 2025–2026 Streaming & Channel Guide
The NBA’s new media deal is here, and it’s a bit of a mess. That’s why we’ve created this ultimate fan’s guide to navigating channel lineups and the best TV services.
The NBA has completely altered the way you watch games. Through the league’s new media deal, TNT Sports is out and a duo of new partners (NBCUniversal and Amazon) is in. This change means games are now spread across more channels and streaming services than ever before.
For fans, this new setup can feel like a full-court press. You’ve now got your local regional sports network (RSN), a handful of national channels, and two exclusive streaming services to keep track of. It’s a lot, and figuring it all out is a real challenge.
That’s where this guide comes in. I’ve drawn up a game plan to give you a simple, one-stop playbook for the 2025–2026 NBA season. I’ll cover the channels you need and recommend the best TV packages so you don’t miss a single game.
What TV channels show NBA games?
For the 2025–2026 season, the NBA’s national broadcast lineup has a brand-new look. The primary national broadcasters are now ABC, ESPN, and NBC. You’ll also find a new slate of exclusive, high-profile games streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock. And of course, NBA TV still has its own schedule of can’t-miss matchups.
Games that aren’t on national TV will require a different setup. Local fans will need access to their regional sports network for in-market coverage, while out-of-market fans must subscribe to NBA League Pass. To see the exact channel lineup for your favorite team, check out our dedicated watch guides in the drop-down menu below.
NBA schedule: Key dates for the 2025–2026 season
The NBA season is more than just an 82-game grind. It’s a marathon packed with an in-season tournament, holiday spectacles, and long-running rivalries. I’ve already marked my calendar for the major highlights, especially the return of NBA on NBC for the first time in over two decades.
To help you plan your viewing around the season’s biggest moments, I’ve laid out all the key dates below. But you’ll also want to visit the official NBA schedule for the most up-to-the-minute TV calendar.
- NBA Tip-Off: Tuesday, Oct. 21
- NBA Cup: Begins Friday, Oct. 31
- NBA on Christmas Day: Thursday, Dec. 25
- NBA on MLK Day: Monday, Jan. 19
- 2026 NBA All-Star: Friday, Feb. 13 – Sunday, Feb. 15
- NBA Play-In Tournament: Tuesday, April 14 – Friday, April 17
- NBA Playoffs: Begins Saturday, April 18
- NBA Finals: Begins Thursday, June 4
Best TV providers for NBA games
With the NBA’s new media deal, there’s no single service that gets you every game. My recommendation is to build your own perfect package. You’ll need a great foundational live TV provider for your local RSN and the core national channels, plus a few essential streaming services for the exclusive games. To make it simple, here are my top picks for each category.
- Editor’s Choice: Stream with DIRECTV ($89.99–$169.99/mo.*)
- Essential Streaming Exclusives: Amazon Prime Video ($8.99–$17.98/mo.)
- Your Home for Monday Hoops: Peacock ($10.99–$16.99/mo.)
- Best for Out-of-Market Games: NBA League Pass ($16.99–$24.99/mo.)
Combining a service like DIRECTV with Prime Video, Peacock, and NBA League Pass is the only way to guarantee you’ll have access to every local, national, and out-of-market game this season. It’s a bit of a puzzle (a really expensive one at that), but this combination gives you the most complete picture.
Editor’s Choice: Stream with DIRECTV
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Pros
- Large channel counts
- Wide selection of RSNs
- Excellent app features
Cons
- Expensive plans
- No NBA League Pass add-on
Stream with DIRECTV’s CHOICE plan and above comes with ESPN and NBA TV. You’ll also get your local ABC and NBC channels and regional sports networks based on your billing location, giving you nearly complete local and primetime NBA coverage. That’s what makes DIRECTV an excellent foundational live TV service.
I don’t recommend going beyond the CHOICE plan because it’s expensive—even compared to Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. But no other live TV streaming service offers the same comprehensive RSN and national coverage.
You’ll still run into blackouts with DIRECTV when it comes to out-of-market games. Previously, you could add NBA League Pass as a monthly add-on to avoid those blackouts. But now, you’ll need a standalone League Pass subscription through NBA.com or Amazon Prime Video.
Overall, DIRECTV sets you up nicely for watching live sports and entertainment. I know keeping up with all that content can be a challenge, but all DIRECTV customers get unlimited DVR storage.** You’ll even get multiview channels to catch sports and news happening all at once, a fantastic feature for staying connected.
Essential Streaming Exclusives: Amazon Prime Video
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Pros
- 66 exclusive regular-season games
- Innovative playback features
- NBA League Pass add-on options
Cons
- Cluttered interface
- No cable or satellite TV alternative
Amazon Prime Video now serves as the exclusive home for a huge lineup of national NBA games. Each season, the streaming service will carry Thursday and Friday night doubleheaders, the entire NBA Cup knockout stage, and the Play-In Tournament. Whether you need a subscription really depends on your favorite team’s schedule, but if you want to follow some of the league’s biggest moments, Prime Video is now essential.
What excites me the most about the NBA on Prime Video is the broadcast features. You’ll get Multiview capabilities, a Key Moments option to rewatch big plays, and my personal favorite, Rapid Recap. I’ve used Rapid Recap during Thursday Night Football, and it’s a slick, seamless way to get caught up on the action if you’re joining a live game late.
Of course, the one major downside is that these Prime Video games are streaming exclusives. That’s a tough pill to swallow for traditional cable and satellite subscribers who lack access to high-speed internet.
On the flip side, Prime Video allows you to bundle additional subscriptions conveniently. You can get add-on channels like NBA League Pass, Peacock Premium Plus, and even FanDuel Sports Network RSNs directly through Amazon. There’s also a deep library of TV shows and movies to enjoy on Prime Video between games.
Your Home for Monday Hoops: Peacock
Data effective as of post date. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Pros
- 100+ NBA games
- Interactive Multiview and Performance View features
- NBC Sports RSN add-ons
Cons
- Lackluster TV and movie originals
- No cable or satellite TV alternative
The biggest reason to grab a Peacock Premium subscription this NBA season is simple: exclusive Monday night games. The NBCUniversal service is the new, exclusive home for a slate of marquee Monday matchups. Plus, every single NBA game on NBC will stream live on Peacock, giving you another convenient way to tune in.
Just like with Prime Video, the major drawback here is the streaming exclusivity. I find it incredibly frustrating that fans must add yet another subscription to their TV lineup just to follow the NBA. On the bright side, some traditional providers (like Spectrum and Xfinity) include Peacock in select base plans, which might help soften the blow.
But it’s not all bad news, especially if you’re into what else Peacock has to offer. While Peacock’s on-demand library isn’t as deep as some of its competitors, I consider it an essential service for any serious sports fan. Premium subscriptions include live NFL games, Big Ten college sports, Premier League soccer, and the Olympics.
Lastly, I can’t wrap up this section without mentioning a noteworthy feature for some local fans. Anyone in the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Sacramento Kings TV markets can subscribe to their NBC Sports regional channel as a direct add-on through Peacock. If you’re an in-market fan of one of those teams, this is a fantastic perk that could put most of your basketball viewing all in one app.
Best for Out-of-Market Games: NBA League Pass
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Blackout restrictions apply.
Pros
- Home and away team broadcast feeds
- Access to every NBA game replay
- Live in-game stats on select devices
Cons
- No live local or primetime games
- Delayed replay access for blacked-out games
I’ve already mentioned NBA League Pass several times because it’s for out-of-market fans and anyone who wants to stay on top of every league storyline. Following the new NBA media deal, you can no longer get League Pass as an add-on to most live TV services. Instead, you must sign up directly on NBA.com or through Amazon Prime Video’s channels hub. (Fortunately, it’s still available as an add-on to cable and satellite TV customers.)
The greatest benefit of NBA League Pass is its live access to all games outside your local area. But the service doesn’t include live nationally broadcast games like the NBA Playoffs. While you can watch those games on demand three hours after they air, waiting that long sure feels like a penalty in the streaming era.
NBA League Pass starts at $16.99 per month. That’s much cheaper than the comparable MLB.TV ($29.99 a month) and NFL Sunday Ticket ($378.00 a season for returning users on YouTube TV) out-of-market packages.
If you want to upgrade to no commercials, you can jump up to the $24.99-a-month NBA League Pass Premium plan. Otherwise, there’s NBA Team Pass for $13.99 a month, which gets you every non-blackout game for one team of your choice. The NBA also offers League Pass Audio for a one-time fee of $9.99 if you only want radio streams.
Beyond live and on-demand games, NBA League Pass comes with live NBA TV access and hosts classic games and archived series like NBA Hardwood Classics. You can even relive great basketball moments like Michael Jordan’s 63-point game vs. the Boston Celtics or Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game vs. the Toronto Raptors.
How to watch NBA games for free
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There are a few ways to get free access to NBA basketball, like taking advantage of free trial periods through streaming services like DIRECTV, Fubo, and YouTube TV. But the most reliable free way to watch NBA games is by using an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.
With several NBA matchups airing on ABC and NBC—including the entire NBA Finals—an antenna will get you live access as long as you’re within the range of network affiliates. Sure, antennas aren’t free. But a simple one-time purchase will set you up with live sports for many years—including a lot of college basketball if CBS is in your area.
Pro tip: You can verify which local channels an antenna can pick up by entering your zip code on the FCC’s Reception Map Tool.
One of my favorite antennas is the Mohu Leaf 50. It can receive TV signals from up to 60 miles away and has 4K capabilities. But if you want something cheaper or more robust, you can check out our complete Best Antennas for Cord-Cutters guide.
How to watch NBA games FAQ
Can I watch NBA games without cable?
Yes, the best way to watch NBA games without cable is with a live TV streaming service like DIRECTV or Fubo, which will get you most of the core national and regional channels. To be a true completist, you’ll also need separate subscriptions to Amazon Prime Video and Peacock for their exclusive games, plus NBA League Pass for out-of-market coverage.
Can I just buy NBA TV?
Yes, NBA TV is a channel included in most TV providers’ higher-tiered plans. But you can also purchase NBA TV as a standalone subscription for $6.99 a month through the same site that offers NBA League Pass.
Can I watch NBA on Amazon Prime?
Yes, you can watch many live NBA games on Amazon Prime Video. You can even level up the number of games you see by purchasing Prime Video’s Peacock and NBA League Pass channel add-ons. Plus, you can watch select WNBA games on Prime Video during the summer.
How can I watch NBA Summer League?
The NBA Summer League usually takes place in July, with games airing on NBA TV and ESPN channels. Sling TV offers the cheapest way to tune in through its Sling Orange plan ($45.99/mo.) with the Sports Extra add-on ($11.00/mo.).
How can I show NBA games at my bar or restaurant?
Commercial venues should contact a TV provider like DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS or Spectrum Business TV to get national NBA channels and NBA League Pass coverage. But first, I recommend contacting distributor EverPass Media to review all your programming options—especially for streaming exclusives from Prime Video and Peacock Sports Pass.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com Sports Editor, Taylor Kujawa, has been keeping tabs on the NBA for over 15 years. When the league announced its latest media rights deal, Taylor knew immediately the TV shake-up would throw fans for a loop. That’s why he’s tracked every detail of the carriage agreement from the league and each broadcaster very closely.
To create this guide, Taylor combined that industry knowledge with hands-on testing of every major TV provider. He then cross-referenced CableTV.com’s existing TV guides and resources to determine the best ways to watch the NBA this season, from must-have streaming services to nice-to-have live TV providers. Visit our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
Disclaimer
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*ENTERTAINMENT: ($99.99/mo. w/$10/mo. Gemini lease fee) Cancel anytime. CHOICE: ($124.98/mo. w/ req’d Regional Sports Fee of up to $19.99/mo. & $10/mo. Gemini lease fee). Cancel anytime. ULTIMATE: ($154.98/mo. w/ req’d Regional Sports Fee of up to $19.99/mo. & $10/mo. Gemini lease fee). Cancel anytime. PREMIER™: ($199.98/mo. w/ req’d Regional Sports Fee of up to $19.99/mo. & Gemini $10/mo. lease). Cancel anytime. OPTIMO MÁS: ($94.99/mo. w/ $10/mo. Gemini lease fee). Cancel anytime.
**Data connection req’d. Recordings expire after 9 months. In a series recording, max 30 episodes stored with unlimited hours of cloud DVR and max 10 episodes stored with 20 hours of cloud DVR (oldest deleted first which may be in less than 9 months). Restrictions apply.
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