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How To Watch the 2024 NBA Preseason

As summer fades away, the excitement of basketball season comes rushing back. Here’s how to watch the 2024 NBA preseason.

The NBA preseason marks the perfect opportunity to rekindle your passion for your favorite basketball teams. Fortunately, you can watch most preseason games across local and national channels.

DIRECTV STREAM is the best service for tuning in because it carries every national NBA channel and most regional sports networks. But signing up might be unnecessary, depending on the games you want to watch.

Keep scrolling to see this year’s NBA preseason game times and channel listings. We also review other ways to get the most coverage.

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What channels are NBA preseason games on?

You can watch nationally televised NBA preseason games on NBA TV, ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT. Though, most preseason matchups air locally on each team’s regional sports network (RSN) or over-the-air affiliate.

Pro tip: NBA preseason games that air locally also stream on NBA League Pass for out-of-market fans.

2024 NBA preseason schedule

This season’s NBA preseason calendar spans the first few weeks of October. Teams will play various home and away games, with several happening in non-NBA markets. Additional preseason contests will occur internationally or feature teams from foreign leagues. It all leads to the start of the regular season on October 22.

Hit the drop-down menus below for the full 2024 NBA preseason TV schedule—including game times and channel listings. Most games appearing on NBA League Pass also air on each participating team’s in-market NBA channel.

Game Day Time (ET) Channels
Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets (in Abu Dhabi) Friday, Oct. 4 Noon NBA TV
New Zealand Breakers at Utah Jazz Friday, Oct. 4 9:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers (in Palm Springs) Friday, Oct. 4 10:30 p.m. NBA TV
Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers (in Honolulu) Saturday, Oct. 5 7:00 p.m. NBA TV
Denver Nuggets vs. Boston Celtics (in Abu Dhabi) Sunday, Oct. 6 10:00 a.m. NBA TV
New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets Sunday, Oct. 6 5:00 p.m. NBA TV
Washington Wizards vs. Toronto Raptors (in Montréal) Sunday, Oct. 6 7:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Milwaukee Bucks at Detroit Pistons Sunday, Oct. 6 8:00 p.m. ESPN
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers Sunday, Oct. 6 9:30 p.m. NBA League Pass

Data effective as of post date.

Game Day Time (ET) Channels
Orlando Magic at New Orleans Pelicans Monday, Oct. 7 1:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
New Zealand Breakers at Philadelphia 76ers Monday, Oct. 7 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks Monday, Oct. 7 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs Monday, Oct. 7 8:00 p.m. NBA TV
Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz Monday, Oct. 7 9:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Miami Heat at Charlotte Hornets Tuesday, Oct. 8 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday, Oct. 8 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Phoenix Suns at Detroit Pistons Tuesday, Oct. 8 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks Tuesday, Oct. 8 7:30 p.m. NBA TV
Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday, Oct. 8 10:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Washington Wizards at New York Knicks Wednesday, Oct. 9 7:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday, Oct. 9 8:00 p.m. NBA TV
Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs Wednesday, Oct. 9 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings Wednesday, Oct. 9 10:30 p.m. ESPN
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday, Oct. 10 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat Thursday, Oct. 10 7:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks Thursday, Oct. 10 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Charlotte Hornets at Memphis Grizzlies Thursday, Oct. 10 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Los Angeles Lakers at Milwaukee Bucks Thursday, Oct. 10 8:00 p.m. NBA TV
New Zealand Breakers at Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, Oct. 10 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
New Orleans Pelicans at Orlando Magic Friday, Oct. 11 7:00 p.m. NBA TV
Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards Friday, Oct. 11 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (in Des Moines) Friday, Oct. 11 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors Friday, Oct. 11 10:00 p.m. NBA TV
Detroit Pistons at Phoenix Suns Friday, Oct. 11 10:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers Friday, Oct. 11 10:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics Saturday, Oct. 12 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls Saturday, Oct. 12 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs Saturday, Oct. 12 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
New Orleans Pelicans at Miami Heat Sunday, Oct. 13 3:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Minnesota Timberwolves at New York Knicks Sunday, Oct. 13 6:00 p.m. ESPN
Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings Sunday, Oct. 13 6:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics Sunday, Oct. 13 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets Sunday, Oct. 13 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Detroit Pistons at Golden State Warriors Sunday, Oct. 13 8:30 p.m. NBA League Pass

Data effective as of post date.

Game Day Time (ET) Channels
Memphis Grizzlies at Indiana Pacers Monday, Oct. 14 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks Monday, Oct. 14 7:30 p.m. NBA TV
Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets Monday, Oct. 14 7:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks Monday, Oct. 14 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Clippers Monday, Oct. 14 10:30 p.m. NBA TV
Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors Tuesday, Oct. 15 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat Tuesday, Oct. 15 7:30 p.m. NBA TV
Charlotte Hornets at New York Knicks Tuesday, Oct. 15 7:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
New Orleans Pelicans at Houston Rockets Tuesday, Oct. 15 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets Tuesday, Oct. 15 9:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Sacramento Kings at Utah Jazz Tuesday, Oct. 15 9:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday, Oct. 15 10:00 p.m. NBA TV
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons Wednesday, Oct. 16 7:00 p.m. NBA TV
Brooklyn Nets at Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday, Oct. 16 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Minnesota Timberwolves at Chicago Bulls Wednesday, Oct. 16 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Ratiopharm Ulm at Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday, Oct. 16 10:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Charlotte Hornets at Indiana Pacers Thursday, Oct. 17 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Milwaukee Bucks at Dallas Mavericks Thursday, Oct. 17 7:30 p.m. TNT
San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets Thursday, Oct. 17 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Atlanta Hawks at Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, Oct. 17 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns Thursday, Oct. 17 10:00 p.m. TNT
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, Oct. 17 10:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Philadelphia 76ers at Orlando Magic Friday, Oct. 18 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
New York Knicks at Washington Wizards Friday, Oct. 18 7:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets Friday, Oct. 18 7:30 p.m. NBA League Pass
Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls Friday, Oct. 18 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Miami Heat at Memphis Grizzlies Friday, Oct. 18 8:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves Friday, Oct. 18 8:00 p.m. NBA TV
Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers Friday, Oct. 18 10:00 p.m. NBA League Pass
Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors Friday, Oct. 18 10:30 p.m. ESPN2

Data effective as of post date.

Best TV plans for watching the NBA preseason

DIRECTV STREAM is our favorite way to watch the NBA preseason because it carries every national NBA channel and most RSNs. With plans starting at $69.99 a month, DIRECTV STREAM is expensive for simply watching preseason matchups. But it’ll set you up nicely for the NBA regular season.

Ultimately, the best TV plan for watching any sports league depends on the teams you wish to follow. Using the schedule above for reference, here are three viewing recommendations based on game type.

  1. Local games: DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo offer the most RSN coverage of any streaming service. Though, some local games stream free online and air on antenna TV channels—making a paid TV subscription unnecessary for certain fans.
  2. Out-of-market games: NBA League Pass is the league’s out-of-market TV package designed for fans who don’t live near their preferred team. The service also comes with NBA TV for additional NBA and WNBA coverage.
  3. National games: Any TV service that offers ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT will get you nationally televised NBA games. Sling TV offers the cheapest way to get all three channels with its Sling Orange plan ($40.00 a month) and Sports Extra add-on ($11.00 a month).

Which TV providers carry NBA preseason games?

TV providers that offer ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT will get you some NBA preseason games. Services like DIRECTV, Fubo, and Spectrum offer more coverage through RSNs, but channel lineups and game availability can vary based on your location.

Provider Price ESPN NBA TV TNT Details
Cox $61.00–$152.00/mo.

Read Cox review
DIRECTV $57.99–$142.99/mo. View plans

Read DIRECTV review
DIRECTV STREAM $69.99–$149.99/mo. View plans

Read DIRECTV STREAM review
DISH $97.99–$147.99/mo. View plans

Read DISH review
Fubo $32.99–$109.99/mo. View plans

Read Fubo review
Hulu + Live TV $81.99–$95.99/mo. View plans

Read Hulu + Live TV review
Optimum $35.00–$125.00/mo. View plans

Read Optimum review
Philo $28.00/mo. View plans

Read Philo review
Sling TV $40.00–$55.00/mo. View plans

Read Sling TV review
Spectrum $40.00–$105.00/mo. View plans

Read Spectrum review
Verizon Fios $85.00–$129.00/mo. View plans

Read Verizon Fios review
Xfinity $20.00–$80.00/mo.

Read Xfinity review
YouTube TV $72.99/mo. View plans

Read YouTube TV review

Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Find the best provider for your home

Provider coverage varies by location, so enter your zip code below to see the best options in your area.

How to watch the NBA preseason for free

Some NBA teams offer free viewing options during the preseason. For instance, the Sacramento Kings stream matches on Kings.com, while the Phoenix Suns air on Arizona’s Family channels (KTVK and KPHE-LD).

If you want more robust preseason coverage, you can also opt for a free trial of DIRECTV STREAM or Fubo. Both services have an array of RSNs and national NBA networks—though Fubo doesn’t include TNT Sports channels.

How to watch the NBA preseason FAQ

Does NBA League Pass include preseason games?

Yes, you can stream select NBA preseason games on NBA League Pass. The streaming service also includes NBA TV, which airs many NBA and WNBA matchups each year.

Is the NBA preseason on Hulu?

Yes, all NBA preseason games that air on ESPN and TNT are available to stream on Hulu + Live TV. The live TV streaming service doesn’t offer NBA TV and NBA League Pass, but you can sign up for those services separately.

When does the NBA preseason start?

The 2024 NBA preseason starts on Friday, October 4, with a matchup between the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi. Preseason ends on Friday, October 18, four days before NBA Opening Day.

Why you should trust us

Our experts researched and compiled a list of every NBA preseason game this year. Using that list, we examined channel listings and compared popular TV providers to determine the best ways to watch the NBA preseason. We based our provider recommendations on game counts, pricing, and ease of use.

Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.

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