What Channel Are the 2023 NBA Playoffs On?
The 2023 NBA Playoffs are on ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. Read on to learn more about schedules and how to watch your favorite team.
Witness basketball’s finest athletes going head to head in the 2023 NBA Playoffs—taking flight from April to June. You can watch all games across ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV, with some matchups also airing on ESPN Deportes.
Many cable, satellite, and live TV streaming providers offer the main playoff channels. But keep scrolling as we’ll go into more detail on which plans are a slam dunk for watching the NBA Playoffs on TV.
NBA Playoffs channels
To catch every game of the NBA Playoffs and the NBA Finals, you’ll need a TV package with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. Select matchups will also air on ESPN Deportes if you prefer Spanish-language commentary.
Because NBA playoff games are nationally televised, NBA League Pass won’t broadcast any playoff games live. But it does offer live audio for every matchup, and you can watch each playoff game on demand three hours after the initial broadcast ends.
2023 NBA Playoffs schedule
Featuring two months of postseason action, the 2023 NBA Playoffs begin in mid-April. The Play-In Tournament gets things going on April 11 before first-round games start on April 15. It all leads to the NBA Finals in June, where one team will claim the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy.
| Stage | Start date | Channels |
|---|---|---|
| NBA Play-In Tournament | Tuesday, April 11 | ESPN, TNT |
| NBA Playoffs: First Round | Saturday, April 15 | ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV |
| NBA Playoffs: Conference Semifinals | Saturday, April 29 | ABC, ESPN, TNT |
| NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals | Tuesday, May 16 | ABC, ESPN, TNT |
| NBA Finals | Thursday, June 1 | ABC |
Data effective as of post date.
How to watch the 2023 NBA Playoffs
Now that you know the channels you’ll need and the dates you’ll need them, we’ve got some recommendations on how to watch the NBA Playoffs and the NBA Finals.
And fear not, hoopsters, all of the services and packages we recommend below include ABC, ESPN, and TNT. You just might miss out on NBA TV, which doesn’t show many NBA playoff games anyways.
How to watch the NBA Playoffs without cable
| Service | Price | Channel count | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 YouTube TVBest overall |
$72.99/mo. | 100+ | View Plans for YouTube TVRead YouTube TV review |
 Hulu + Live TVBest value |
$69.99–$82.99/mo. | 85+ | View Plans for HuluRead Hulu + Live TV review |
 Sling TV Orange w/ Sports Extra add-on*Cheapest |
$40.00/mo. | 30+ | View Plans for Sling TVRead Sling TV review |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Sports Extra is $11/mo. in addition to the cost of your Sling Orange base plan.
If you’re looking to save cash, Sling TV Orange is a good deal at just $40.00 per month. It comes with ESPN and TNT, plus ESPN3 for every NBA on ABC broadcast. The only catch is that you’ll need the Sports Extra add-on ($11.00 a month) to get NBA TV. You may also want one of Sling TV’s free antenna deals to get complete access to ABC, but that requires prepaying for multiple months of service.
Pro tip: Speaking of antennas . . . if you just wanna catch the NBA Finals, an antenna is the way to go. Check out our article Best Antennas for Cord-Cutters to see if an HD antenna is right for you.
We love YouTube TV. In fact, we ranked it the best overall live TV streaming service for 2022. It does, however, come with a price tag: $72.99 per month, to be exact. But you can cancel any time, so why not splurge for the NBA Playoffs?
If you’re a Hulu fan (Go Big Green!), you can’t go wrong with Hulu + Live TV. You’ll get all that fantastic Hulu on-demand content and 85+ live channels, including ABC, ESPN, and TNT. You’ll only miss out on NBA TV games.
How to watch the NBA Playoffs with cable or satellite TV
| Service | Price | Channel count | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 DISH America's Top 200Best overall |
$99.99/mo. | 240+ | View Plans for DISHRead DISH review |
 SpectrumBest value |
$59.99/mo. | 150+ | View Plans for SpectrumRead Spectrum review |
 Optimum Select TV + Optimum 300Best bundle |
$135.00/mo. | 340+ | View Plans for OptimumRead Optimum review |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
You’re probably wondering why we’d even bother with cable packages at this point. We know, we know, streaming’s all the rage, but a lot of cable packages give you more total channels for about the same price as the live TV streaming services above.
Spectrum TV Select Signature will cost you less than YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV and get you way more channels. Just remember that this jewel of a TV plan is only available in Spectrum service areas.
DISH Network, on the other hand, is pretty much available anywhere. We like to think of DISH as the Michael Jordan of TV: G.O.A.T. (chill, Lebron fans). So if you’re willing to shell out some extra cash, DISH will have your NBA Playoff needs covered and then some.
If you live in the New York area and you want a sweet, sweet TV and internet bundle, Optimum has you covered.
With Optimum Select TV + Optimum 300, you’ll get over 340 channels (including ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV) and download speeds up to 300 Mbps. That’s a good grip of internet speed for most small- to medium-sized households. Again, like Spectrum, you’ll need to check if Optimum is available in your area.
Final take
From mid-April to early June, live NBA playoff games air on ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. Most TV providers offer the four playoff channels and additional overflow networks like ESPN2 and TBS. But you’ll want a TV plan that makes the most sense for your viewing setup.
YouTube TV is an excellent choice for cord-cutters because it offers every playoff channel and other popular networks. Its new multiview feature and unlimited DVR storage are also handy for diehard sports fans who can’t watch everything simultaneously.
If fast and reliable internet isn’t available in your area, you’ll want a cable or satellite TV plan. DISH is great because it’s available nationwide and comes with hundreds of channels. You’ll also get tons of NBA coverage all year—including NBA Summer League games, which tip off shortly after the playoffs.
How to watch the NBA Playoffs FAQ
Can I watch the NBA Playoffs for free?
Yes, you can watch some NBA playoff games for free on ABC with an HD antenna—including the 2023 NBA Finals. You have to pay to watch NBA games on ESPN, NBA TV, NBA League Pass, and TNT, so check out our How To Watch the NBA guide for provider recommendations.
Can I watch the NBA Playoffs without cable?
Yes, you can watch the entire NBA Playoffs without a cable or satellite TV subscription. Live TV streaming services like YouTube TV, Sling TV, and DIRECTV STREAM carry every playoff channel, while ABC is also accessible using an HD antenna.
How can I watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV?
You can watch the complete NBA Playoffs on Sling TV with the Sling Orange plan ($40 a month) and Sports Extra add-on ($11 a month). That’ll get you ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV for $51 a month. You’ll also have in-app access to ESPN3, which streams every NBA on ABC matchup—including the complete 2023 NBA Finals.
How many NBA teams make the playoffs in 2023?
In 2023, 16 teams will compete in the NBA Playoffs. That’s over half of the league’s 30 franchises.
Methodology
Our b-ball experts spent the past several NBA seasons watching the NBA Playoffs and the NBA Finals across several different TV services. Because the channels needed to watch the NBA postseason are easy to come by, we based our recommendations primarily on price and availability.
For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page.
