The NBA season’s just around the corner, as the 2024–2025 season tips off October 22. And what are you going to do if you want to keep up with your favorite team but don’t want a lengthy TV contract?
Thankfully, you have multiple ways to catch every NBA game this season. Whether you’re watching three or 30 games every week, let’s break down some of the easiest ways to watch NBA games without cable.
1. Get a live TV streaming service
Live TV streaming services are popular these days for a lot of reasons: With a service like Fubo or YouTube TV, you don’t have to deal with equipment fees, contracts, or satellite signal drops in bad weather.
For hardcore NBA fans, we’d recommend subscribing to DIRECTV STREAM. The DIRECTV streaming service is our top streaming pick for NBA fans because of its huge channel counts and regional sports network (RSN) coverage. RSNs are the main way to watch non-national NBA games, and DIRECTV STREAM will have you covered for every midweek matchup.
But if you’re mainly concerned about national NBA broadcasts, you’ll still find a lot to like with competitors like YouTube TV or Sling TV. Check out our main How To Watch the NBA guide and Best Streaming Services for Sports page for more ways to live stream NBA games.
2. Stream NBA League Pass for out-of-market games
Are you a Thunder fan who’s living in Texas? Want to catch 76ers games if you’re outside of Philly? NBA League Pass offers live and on-demand access to every out-of-market NBA game.
NBA League Pass costs only $16.99–$24.99/mo., and it’s available on multiple streaming services and as a standalone subscription. You can get commercial-free broadcasts by upgrading to NBA League Pass Premium, and both plans include NBA TV.
Check out our NBA League Pass review to learn more about the NBA’s streaming service.
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3. Only interested in your team? Get NBA Team Pass
Do you want to catch out-of-market games and only care about your team? NBA Team Pass is a more affordable version of League Pass that gives you every out-of-market game for one team. Best of all, it costs only $13.99 per month. The Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix Suns have also launched their own team-specific streaming services.
4. Watch free NBA games with an antenna or a free trial
While most NBA games are on cable networks like TNT, many high-profile national games are broadcast on ABC. If you spring for an over-the-air (OTA) antenna, you can watch these games for free—OTA antennas tap into local TV network broadcasts, so you can watch major networks like ABC without paying for a cable plan.
We recommend Mohu antennas because they offer 4K support and have low-profile form factors that can easily slip behind a TV without taking up extra space. Check out our full Mohu review to learn more about their antennas.
If you’re on the road and need to catch a must-win game, many streaming services offer free trials. Check out our free streaming TV trials guide for free ways to try out services like DIRECT STREAM and Fubo.
How to watch the NBA without cable FAQ
How can I watch NBA games for free without cable?
You can watch ABC’s NBA games for free if you get an OTA antenna. OTA antennas hook up to your TV and allow you to watch networks like ABC for free. You can also get a free streaming trial for services like DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo.
What app lets you watch all NBA games live?
You can watch every out-of-market NBA game live with NBA League Pass. If you combine NBA League Pass with a separate DIRECTV STREAM subscription, you’ll be able to watch every NBA game live.
How can I watch the NBA playoffs without cable?
You can watch ABC’s NBA playoff games for free with an OTA antenna. If you sign up for a streaming live TV service like DIRECTV STREAM, you’ll be able to watch every NBA playoff game without cable.
How can I watch NBA games without a provider?
You can watch NBA games without a provider if you get an OTA antenna or sign up for a streaming TV service like DIRECTV STREAM. Either option will let you watch NBA games without signing up with a TV provider.
