Basketball is back! And if you’re looking to watch the NBA on Roku and avoid sky-high cable fees, you’re in the right place. In this guide from Flixed, we’ll be taking a look at your top options for watching the NBA on Roku.
Our top pick is DirecTV Stream, but there are plenty of other honorable mentions, including Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Vidgo, and YouTube TV. Let’s get into the details.
Our pick for watching the NBA on Roku – DirecTV Stream
Overall, our top pick for watching the NBA on Roku is DirecTV Stream. It has all of the channels you need to catch both national and regionally-broadcast NBA games, as well as tons of great features and a solid Roku app.
DirecTV Stream Entertainment
Try 5 days free
- 75+ channels
- Stream on unlimited devices at home
- Unlimited DVR space
$84.99/month
DirecTV Stream Optimo Mas
- 100+ live TV channels
- Spanish and English programming
- Three months of Max free
- Unlimited DVR space
$86.99/month
DirecTV Stream Choice
Try 5 days free
- 105+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$114.99/month
DirecTV Stream Ultimate
Try 5 days free
- 140+ live channels
- Unlimited DVR space
- Includes regional sports networks
- Three months of Max free
$129.99/month
DirecTV Stream Premier
- Unlimited DVR space
- 150+ channels
- Includes Max Cinemax SHOWTIME and STARZ
- Includes regional sports networks
$169.99/month
Sure, it’s the most expensive internet TV service on this list, and there are lots of cheaper options. But if you really love hoops and you want to catch all of the action this NBA season, DirecTV Stream can’t be beaten. It's a slam dunk!
Why choose DirecTV Stream?
The biggest reason is that it has the best broadcast coverage for the NBA. You’ll be able to watch every nationally-televised game with its Choice package, which includes ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV.
Not only that, but DirecTV Stream is the only remaining internet TV service to carry RSNs (Regional Sports Networks) in just about every area of the country. Due to disputes over high fees, most other internet TV services dropped RSNs over the last few years.
But DirecTV Stream is the exception. To name a few, it includes Bally Sports, NBC Sports RSNs, NESN (New England Sports Network), YES Network, MASN (Mid Atlantic Sports Network) and others. Whether you love the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, or the Utah Jazz, you’ll be covered.
You get tons of other channels, too, for a total of 105+ the Choice package. For more information, you can click here to visit the DirecTV Stream website, browse packages, and see what channels are available in your area. You can also check out our DirecTV Stream channel list for more info.
Top DirecTV Stream features
Overall, you get tons of great features with DirecTV Stream, which is why we’ve chosen it as the best way to watch the NBA on Roku. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of its top features:
- Comprehensive coverage: As mentioned, DirecTV Stream has every channel you need to watch nationally-broadcast games, as well as regional games. It’s the only service with full access to Regional Sports Networks (RSNs).
- Tons of simultaneous streams: You can watch on up to 20 different devices at once on your home WiFi network, which blows all of the competitors out of the water.
- Great DVR: The DirecTV Stream DVR gives you unlimited storage space for 9 months, so you can save all of the Brooklyn Nets games you want for later viewing – and skip the commercials, too!
- Solid Roku app: DirecTV Stream supports all of the latest Roku devices and Roku-based smart TVs, and offers a solid viewing experience.
Other options for watching the NBA on Roku – Top alternatives
If you’re on the hunt for other options, we don’t blame you. DirecTV Stream is pricey. While none of the alternatives are perfect, you still do have lots of other options including Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Vidgo, and YouTube TV. Let’s get into the details.
Watch the NBA on Roku with Sling TV
Sling TV is the cheapest option on this list, but it has a couple issues. First, while the Sling Orange package comes with ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT, you won’t get ABC. You’ll also have to pay extra for the Sports Extra package if you want NBA TV, and Sling TV doesn’t have any RSNs, so you can’t watch local games.
Sling Orange
$20 off your first month
- 30+ channels
- ESPN
- Stream on one device
$45.99/month
Sling Blue
$20 off your first month
- 40+ channels
- Local channels in select cities
- News and entertainment
- Stream on three screens
$45.99/month
Sling Orange & Blue
$20 off your first month
- General cable replacement
- 45+ channels
- Stream on three screens
$60.99/month
However, if you’re mostly interested in watching nationally-broadcasted games, it’s not a bad option. For more information, you can click here to sign up and try Sling TV out, or read our full Sling TV review here.
Watch the NBA on Roku with Fubo
Fubo has ABC and ESPN in its cheapest package, but it doesn’t have TNT, so you’ll miss out on Inside the NBA, as well as all games broadcast on TNT this season. You can get NBA TV in the Sports Plus add-on for an extra fee. Fubo does have NBC Sports California and NBC Sports Bay Area, which means you can watch the Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, and Kings. However, it doesn’t have any other RSNs.
Fubo Pro
Try 7 days free
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- Stream on ten screens
- 180+ channels
$84.99/month
Fubo Elite
Try 7 days free
- Stream on ten screens
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- 250+ channels
- HD and 4K video quality
$94.99/month
Fubo Premier
Try 7 days free
- Stream on ten screens
- 250+ channels
- HD and 4K video quality
- 1000 hours of cloud DVR
- Showtime included
$109.99/month
Overall, Fubo is a decent way to watch the NBA on Roku, but it’s far from our top pick unless you’re a Californian. For more info, check out our Fubo review, or click here to sign up for Fubo and try it for yourself.
Watch the NBA on Roku with Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV will get you ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, and TNT. You won’t get NBA TV or any regional sports networks, so this is only a good option if you’re looking to watch nationally-broadcast games.
Hulu (with ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
$9.99/month
Hulu (no ads)
Get 3 HULU, DISNEY Plus, ESPN
- Stream on two screens
- Big movies
- Hit TV shows
- On demand content
- No ads
$18.99/month
Hulu Live TV only
- 90+ live channels
- Stream on two screens
$81.99/month
Hulu Live TV (with ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$82.99/month
Hulu Live TV (some ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$87.99/month
Hulu Live TV (no ads)
Disney+ and ESPN+ included
- Stream on two screens
- ESPN+ and Disney+ included
- On demand content
- 90+ live channels
$95.99/month
Still, Hulu + Live TV is reasonably priced, and has lots of great channels and features, and has a good Roku app. You can read our full review here for more information, or click here to sign up and try it out.
Watch the NBA on Roku with Vidgo
Vidgo is not really a great option for watching the NBA on Roku, but it’s worth mentioning. It only has ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, so you can’t watch games on TNT or NBA TV. It also doesn’t have regional sports channels.
Still, it’s a bit cheaper than some of the competition, and Vidgo does have Roku support, so it’s an option. You can check out our full Vidgo review for more information, or click here to sign up and try it out.
Watch the NBA on Roku with YouTube TV
YouTube TV is another great option if you want to watch nationally-broadcast NBA games on Roku. It has ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, TNT, and even NBA TV. It doesn't have any regional sports networks, though. Uniquely, YouTube TV also lets you add NBA League Pass directly to your subscription. This service lets you stream all out-of-network games for a low monthly or yearly fee.
This means that YouTube TV is a particularly great option if you don’t live near the place where your favorite team plays – if you’re a Chicago Bulls fan and you live in San Diego, for example. You can click here to try it out, or take a look at our YouTube TV Review for more information.
Our takeaway – DirecTV Stream is the best for NBA fans
If you want to watch every NBA game this season, DirecTV Stream is the best option. It has the best national and regional coverage, and while it’s on the expensive side, you get what you pay for. And there’s no long-term contract, so you can always cancel at the end of the season.
If you mostly care about nationally-broadcast games, you have a few more options like Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Vidgo, and YouTube TV. But still, when it comes to watching the NBA on Roku, you won’t beat DirecTV Stream.
Eric Liston • Author
Eric Liston is a content writer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since 2015, he’s been writing about technology, cord-cutting, and helping everyday people save money. He also has expertise writing about medicine, dentistry, insurance, and a variety of other industries. No matter what he’s writing, his focus is always on simplifying complex concepts and making them approachable for everyone. When he’s not slamming away on his keyboard at his home office, you’ll find Eric reading sci-fi novels, improving his disc golf game (he just hit his first 400-foot drive) and playing video games on his gaming PC.
Lisa Holden • Editor
Lisa Holden is an editor and creative based in Houston, TX. Lisa holds a BA in African-American Studies from Temple University and has spent her career working in news publications and magazines, even founding a magazine herself. She began working as an editor for Flixed in 2023. When she’s not editing or working on one of her many creative endeavors (whenever that is), she enjoys traveling to new places and biking on sunny days.
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