The official NBA postseason is here. And all of the 2024 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 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. 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.
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
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 90 channels. 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
Fubo is a great option for basketball-crazed fans. The cheapest package offers 150+ 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.
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
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 price for the Fubo TV package is a bit on the costly side. 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
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 because you’ll need to Choice package to tune into the NBA. But given the fact that this package includes 105+ live channels, and local TV stations along with 45,000 on-demand titles, the cost could be deemed somewhat reasonable.
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
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 and Premier), 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.
Vidgo Mas
Only $10 for your first month
- 45+ live Spanish channels
- On demand content
- Cloud DVR
- Stream on three screens
$39.99/month
Vidgo Plus
Only $10 for your first month
- On demand content
- Cloud DVR
- 110+ channels
- Stream on three screens
$69.99/month
Vidgo Premium
Only $10 for your first month
- 150+ channels
- On demand content
- Cloud DVR
- Stream on three screens
$84.99/month
Vidgo Ultimate
- All English and Spanish channels
- The most live sports
- News and local shows
- Stream on three screens
$99.99/month
The Vidgo service does offer multiple packages. The “Plus” package has over 105 channels along with over 20 different sports channels, with both ABC and the ESPN channels included in this package. Vidgo’s “Premium” package offers over 150 channels and over 24 additional sports channels.
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 monthly cost is competitive in comparison with the other services on this list.
YouTube TV Spanish
Only $24.99 for the first 6 months
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts to share at home
- Stream on three screens
- 30+ Spanish channels
$34.99/month
YouTube TV
Only $54.99 for the first 3 months
- Unlimited DVR space
- 6 accounts for one price
- Stream on three screens
- 100+ live TV channels
$72.99/month
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 three-week free trial. Furthermore, the customer will get $8 off their first three months for a limited time. With that in mind, the consumer has plenty of time to decide if this package is for them.
Desiree Wu • Editor
Desiree is a full-time Honours Business Administration student at Ivey Business School at Western University. She also served as an Editorial Intern at Flixed. Desiree is based in London, Ontario.
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