The official NBA postseason is here. And all of the 2022 NBA playoff games will be aired on TNT, ESPN, ABC, and NBA TV. If you’re a cable subscriber, you’re already set. But for those of us who are seeking an alternative to watching the playoffs on cable, you should check out Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo TV, DirecTV Stream, Vidgo, and YouTube TV.
Watch The NBA Playoffs Live for Free
If you want to watch the NBA playoffs the best way to do this is by choosing a service that offers a free trial period. For instance, YouTube TV has a two-week free trial period. Fubo TV and Hulu + Live TV both offer a seven-day trial period. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day trial period and as long as you cancel before the period ends, you won’t be charged.
Although none of these free trial options are long enough to catch every round of the playoffs, it does provide the customer with ample time to see if the package suits their needs. Now, that we’ve briefly covered the free-trial period, we will go into a bit more detail about some of the prominent stream services off in more detail.
Watch the NBA Playoffs on Sling TV
One of the most affordable options within the list that will be covered is Sling TV. This option has two available packages – Blue and Orange. The Blue package will cost you $35 a month, and it includes ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, TNT, TBA, and CNN.
The Orange package has the same cost, but it goes beyond sports. In this package, you will have featured channels such as TLC, Comedy Central, and Disney Channel. If you prefer a bit of everything, you can opt for the Orange and Blue package for $50 a month. This package has 50 channels including A&E, AMC, Cartoon Network, and Discovery Channel. While NBA TV is not included, you can obtain it through the Sports Extra add-on for an additional $11 per month. Although Sling TV does not include ABC, this local channel should be available in most markets.
Watch The NBA Playoffs on Hulu with Live TV
Another option basketball fans may want to consider is Hulu + Live TV. This option is one of the more tenured streaming services on the market. What makes this option a bit unique is that it offers just on-demand content and live TV, hence the name. The good news here is that the package includes ABC (in most markets), ESPN, and TNT, which means that you do not have NBA TV with this option. Although NBA TV isn’t part of the mix, the user will still be able to see most of the playoff games, including the Finals.
This package also includes the Disney Bundle at no extra charge. From a cost perspective, Hulu is a bit more expensive being that you get over 70 channels. The over 70-channel package comes with a monthly price tag of $69.99. While paying that cost may not be optimal, Hulu does include a seven-day free trial. This window should provide ample time for consumers to determine if this package meets their needs.
Watch The NBA Playoffs on Fubo TV
Fubo TV is a great option for basketball-crazed fans. This package offers 110 channels, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, and NBA TV as well. However, the package does not include TNT. The reason is that Fubo stopped providing content from Turner Broadcasting System back in 2020.
This means that you may miss a considerable amount of games during the first two rounds of the playoffs. Similar to Hulu + Live TV, the monthly cost for the Fubo TV package is $69.99. Fans will also be provided with 1,000 hours of DVR storage, with the ability to stream on up to 10 devices within the home.
Watch The NBA Playoffs on DirecTV Stream
Free Trial
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Although DirecTV Stream is one of the largest streaming services on the market. However, it also is one of the more expensive streaming options on this list, as the monthly cost is $89.99. But given the fact that this package includes 90 live channels, and local TV stations along with 45,000 on-demand titles, the cost could be deemed somewhat reasonable.
On the other end of the spectrum, fans will have access to ABC, ESPN, TV, and NBA TV, which means that you’ll be able to see every round of the NBA playoffs. On top of that, the package also allows fans access to their local regional sports networks (at no additional costs) so you can keep up with your favorite teams doing the regular season. The company is also offering $10 off that price for the first three months and a free five-day trial, along with unlimited DVR streaming capability of up to 20 devices at the same time.
Direct TV also offers two other packages (Ultimate — $94.99 per month and Premier at $139.99 per month), but if sports is your primary focus, then it would be wise to stick with the Choice plan. Direct TV is certainly not the most inexpensive option, but it’s probably the most complete package.
Watch The NBA Playoffs on Vidgo
Vidgo is one of the lesser-known names in the market, as it arrived on the scene in late 2019. One of the things that make this service unique is that it offers consumers prepaid accounts through their local wireless retailers. The significance here is that no bank or credit card information is ever needed.
The Vidgo service does offer multiple packages. The “Plus” package has over 85 channels along with 22 different sports channels for $55 a month. Both ABC and the ESPN channels are included in this package. Vidgo’s “Premium” package offers over 100 channels and 24 additional sports channels for $79.95 per month.
One of the positives about Vidgo is that it is the only service that includes all of the NCAA sports channels in its base plan. And for the die-hard football fans, this service also offers NFL Network and NFL Redzone. The downside to this streaming option is that it does not include TNT or even NBA TV. So, while the cost is somewhat reasonable, the absence of those two channels means that the consumer will miss a chunk of the playoff games in the opening rounds.
Watch The NBA Playoffs on YouTube TV
As was the case with Vidgo, YouTube TV didn’t arrive on the market until 2019. But despite this fact, it is one of the most popular live TV streaming services on the market today. Except for Sling, the $64.99 monthly cost is competitive in comparison with the other services on this list.
Even more important, the package does include ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT. That being said, fans will be satisfied with the channel lineup provided by YouTube TV. This service also includes unlimited cloud DVR and allows up to three streaming devices within the home.
And right now, YouTube TV is offering a deal that includes a two-week free trial. Furthermore, the customer will get $50 off their month for a limited time, reducing the first month’s cost to $14.99. With that in mind, the consumer has plenty of time to decide if this package is for them.
