With Round 1 of the 2024 NBA playoffs already underway, the postseason has begun. We’ve listed the top ways for basketball fans to watch the first round and other playoff games for free if they don’t have cable or are searching for a different method to see the action. Here are the top choices for streaming providers that offer free trials or special offers to new users who want to forego cable.
If you don’t already have an HDTV antenna, you may watch the whole NBA playoffs on Sling (promotional deals, cheapest streaming plans) or almost every game of the first round live for free with DirecTV Stream (free trial).
Where can I watch 2024 Round 1 games for free? What networks or TV Channels are the NBA playoffs on?
Several networks, including TNT, ESPN, ABC, and NBA TV, will broadcast this year’s NBA playoffs. Starting on June 6, ABC will be the only network to broadcast the NBA Finals. Use the channel finders here to learn more about the channels those networks are on in your area: Comcast Xfinity, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, and Optimum/Altice.
With the use of an over-the-air HDTV antenna, you may watch every game that is televised locally on your ABC affiliate (channel finder above) if you want to watch games for free. A reliable and well-rated HDTV antenna may be bought on Amazon for less than $30 and arrives fast with Prime if you need one right away. Get a free trial of Prime if you don’t already have it. Once your TV has the antenna configured, you may watch the NBA Finals and any future major events on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and other networks.
Where can I stream the NBA playoffs live for free without cable? Which service is best?
DirecTV Stream is the only streaming service that will broadcast every NBA play-in tournament game, including those in the first round and later. Since it includes all of the channels that will be airing NBA playoff games this month, it is the greatest service to sign up for during the NBA playoffs and offers a seven-day free trial. By choosing this option, you can at least view all of the Rounds 1 and 2 games for free before determining whether it’s worthwhile to pay for a month’s worth of subscription to watch the other games in the tournament. However, when you sign up, you will need to pay the additional $15/month Sports Pack in order to watch playoff games on NBA TV.
Sling, which has the cheapest streaming package overall and is now offering a half-off first month promotion, is the second-best choice for viewing the NBA playoffs. However, in order to view the NBA Finals or any other playoff game that airs on ABC, you will need to get an HDTV antenna if you don’t already have one. By doing this, you can avoid missing the games that are televised on ABC, which is not covered by the Sling streaming service. As mentioned above, in order to watch NBA TV playoff games, you will also need to purchase the additional $11/month Sports Extra plan when you join up.
Our recommendation: If you intend to acquire access to a streaming service for the duration of the NBA playoffs, Sling is far less expensive than choosing DirecTV Stream, even when you include an HDTV antenna and various sports supplementary packages.
When do the 2024 NBA playoffs begin? What is the schedule of games?
Round 1 of the NBA playoffs got underway on Saturday, April 20. Here is a look at the full schedule for every playoff round.
Initial phase: April 20–May 5
The second round is set to begin on May 6-7. In the event that the first round series ends early, it can be moved ahead to May 4-5.
Conference finals: May 21–22 is when they are scheduled to begin. If the second round series concludes early, it can be moved up to May 19–20.
NBA Finals 2024: Starts Monday, June 6. The complete NBA Finals schedule, which will all be televised on ABC, is seen below.
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Thursday, June 6:
Game 1
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Sunday, June 9:
Game 2
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Wednesday, June 12:
Game 3
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Friday, June 14:
Game 4
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Monday, June 17:
Game 5 (if necessary)
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Thursday, June 20:
Game 6 (if necessary)
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Sunday, June 23:
Game 7 (if necessary)
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