The NBA season’s right around the corner, as the 2025–2026 season tips off October 21. And what are you going to do if you want to keep up with your favorite team but don’t want a lengthy cable TV contract?
Between you and me, cord-cutter to cord-cutter, I gotchu. The NBA’s new media deal starts this season, and now there are so many ways to watch your favorite team without cable or satellite. In fact, my colleague Alex Vejar used himself as a case study for how much it could cost to watch the NBA this season. You can check that out at any time.
If you’re an NBA junkie who primarily uses the internet to access your favorite team, this guide is for you. Read on.
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, I recommend subscribing to Stream with DIRECTV. 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 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? A Lakers fan living in Utah? 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 many NBA games are on cable networks like ESPN, many high-profile national games starting this season will be broadcast on ABC and NBC. 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 often 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 DIRECTV and Fubo.
5. Subscribe to Amazon Prime Video and Peacock
The NBA’s new media deal ditched TNT and added NBC, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video to its broadcast offerings. As I mentioned before, NBC is available through an OTA antenna. But the same is not true for the others.
There will be multiple games on Prime Video and Peacock each week. And any game that airs on NBC will also stream on Peacock. So even if all you did was get these two services, you’d be watching a good chunk of the NBA.
But what if you’re a fan of a team with very few national TV games? First, I see you, I hear you, I am making space for you. Second, that’s where my previous recommendations would better serve you.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Amazon Prime Video has a 30-day free trial, but Peacock doesn’t have a free trial of any kind right now.
How to watch the NBA without cable FAQ
How can I watch NBA games for free without cable?
You can watch ABC and NBC'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 and NBC for free. You can also get a free streaming trial for services like DIRECTV 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 subscription, you’ll be able to watch every NBA game live.
How can I watch the NBA playoffs without cable?
You can watch ABC and NBC's NBA playoff games for free with an OTA antenna. If you sign up for a streaming live TV service like DIRECTV, 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. Either option will let you watch NBA games without signing up with a TV provider.
Can I stream NBA games?
Yes, there are multiple ways to stream NBA games. Many matchups will stream on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock starting in 2025–2026. You can also get a live TV streaming service like DIRECTV or subscribe to NBA League Pass.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com senior writer, Eric Chiu, researched the NBA schedule and the league’s new media deal. Using that information, he examined channel listings and compared popular TV providers to determine the best ways to watch the NBA season without having to pay for a cable or satellite provider. He based his recommendations on game counts, pricing, and ease of use.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
