The 2025 NBA postseason is just around the corner, with the regular season set to wrap up on April 13 and the Play-In Tournament tipping off two days later. As in previous years, playoff broadcasting will be shared across four networks: ABC, TNT, ESPN, and NBA TV.
Cord-cutters don’t have to miss out on the thrilling dunks, buzzer-beaters, and high-stakes drama. With a variety of streaming services now offering live sports, hoop heads have more options than ever to catch all the playoff action without the need for a traditional cable subscription. This guide will walk you through the best streaming platforms that ensure you don’t miss a single shot of the NBA postseason tournament.
Sling TV offers one of the least-expensive alternatives to cable, but you’ll need a TV antenna to watch your local broadcast channels.
Over the air
Winegard’s Flatwave Amped antenna (model number FL-5500A) is one of our favorite indoor antennas.
Martyn Williams/IDG
ABC has the exclusive rights to air the NBA Finals, so you’ll be able to watch the championship series for free if you have an over-the-air TV antenna that’s capable of pulling in your local ABC broadcast affiliate; otherwise, you’ll need need a streaming subscription if you’ve ditched cable. You’ll find our top antenna picks here. Read on for your other cable-free options.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream will give you access to ESPN, TNT, TBS, ABC and NBA TV through its Choice package for $114.99 per month. Currently, the service is offering $25 off the monthly rate for the first three months of your subscription. You can try the service for free for five days.
Fubo
Fubo‘s $94.99-per-month Elite package includes ABC and ESPN, and NBA TV. None of its packages include TNT or TBS, though. A 7-day free trial is available.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV gives you access to ABC, ESPN, and TNT. As with most other streaming services, however, the exact channel lineup varies by market. The service costs $82.99 per month with ads or $95.99 a month without ads. There’s a 3-day free trial available.
Sling TV
The easiest way to watch all the postseason action with Sling TV is to sign up for the Sling Orange + Blue package for $65.99 a month, with a 50-percent discount for your first month. That will give you ABC, TNT, and ESPN and you can get NBA TV with the Sports Extra add-on for an additional $11 a month. If you have an antenna to pull in your local ABC affiliate, then all you need it the Sling Orange package for $45.99 a month, which gives you TNT and ESPN; plus, the Sports Extra add-on for NBA TV, bringing your total to about $57 per month.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is our top pick in TV-streaming services overall, and it includes local ABC stations (in 99.5 percent of the homes in the U.S.), ESPN, TNT, TBS, and NBA TV. Subscriptions are $82.99 per month, but the service is currently offering the first three months for just $69.99. A 5-day free trial is available.