Watching NBA games live online has become increasingly popular as more fans look for convenient ways to catch all the basketball action. With multiple streaming services and illegal streams available, there are several options to choose from when looking to live stream NBA games.
Legal Streaming Services
The easiest legal way to stream live NBA games is through the league’s official streaming service NBA League Pass. This provides access to live out-of-market regular season games, meaning you can watch any game being played except for local broadcasts in your region. League Pass also includes replays of games, archived classic games and additional NBA TV content.
To access League Pass, you will need to choose between a few package options:
- NBA League Pass – Access to all out-of-market live regular season games for one team for $119/year or $28/month.
- NBA League Pass Premium – Access to all out-of-market live regular season games for all teams for $199/year or $40/month.
- NBA TV – 24/7 NBA news and analysis channel for $60/year or $7/month.
Along with the NBA’s streaming service, many live TV streaming platforms also include NBA TV and local regional sports networks that air live games as part of their channel packages. Some popular options include:
- fuboTV – Offers NBA TV and local RSNs along with 100+ other channels for $69.99/month.
- Hulu + Live TV – Carries NBA TV and local RSNs as part of their $69.99/month package.
- Sling TV – NBA TV is on Sling Blue for $35/month, while Sling Orange & Blue for $50/month is needed for most local RSNs.
- YouTube TV – NBA TV and local RSNs are included in their $64.99/month plan.
Watching on Mobile Devices
The NBA League Pass app allows you to stream live out-of-market NBA games, replays and additional content on your mobile phone or tablet. League Pass Premium is required to watch live games on mobile. Supported devices include:
- Android phones and tablets
- iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch)
- Amazon Fire tablets
- Windows phones and tablets
Games can be streamed over Wi-Fi or mobile data, though data charges will apply. You’ll need to login with your NBA account details within the app to access your subscription.
Watching on Game Consoles
NBA League Pass is also available on many popular game consoles, letting you stream live out-of-market games direct to your TV. These include:
- Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S
- PlayStation 4 and 5
- Nintendo Switch
Search for the NBA app in your console’s store, download it and log in with your NBA account details. Make sure your console is connected to the internet to watch games through League Pass.
Using a VPN
For NBA fans that want to access local live games that would normally be blacked out, a VPN can be a useful tool to bypass geographical restrictions. A VPN masks your real location, letting you change your virtual location to access area-restricted streams.
To use a VPN to watch local NBA games:
- Choose and subscribe to a reliable VPN service.
- Install the VPN app on your streaming device e.g. laptop, mobile.
- Connect to a server located in the area of the game you want to watch.
- Go to the streaming platform that provides local coverage e.g. NBC Sports, and you should now be able to access the live stream.
Watching NBA Streams Subreddits
Various NBA subreddits like nbastreams and NBAstreams allow users to share free live stream links to games. However, most links shared on these forums point to illegal pirated streams, which come with risks such as malware and breaching streaming laws.
Free Streaming Sites
There are some free streaming sites like Crackstreams and Stream2Watch that offer links to live NBA streams. However, most of these sites host unauthorized pirated streams, so their legality is questionable and you use them at your own risk.
Paid Sports Streaming Sites
Some paid sports streaming services provide illegal access to NBA live streams along with other sports. These include sites like SportSurge, MyP2P and Rojadirecta. Using them is not recommended due to potential security risks and legal issues.
Conclusion
Here are some key points to summarize how to watch NBA live streams:
- NBA League Pass is the best legal way to stream out-of-market NBA games live online.
- Live TV streaming services like fuboTV and Hulu + Live TV allow you to watch local in-market NBA games.
- The NBA app lets you stream on mobile devices and game consoles with a League Pass subscription.
- Using a VPN can help access blacked-out local games by bypassing geo-restrictions.
- Free streaming sites and subreddits provide pirated NBA streams that come with risks.
- Paid sports streaming services offer illegal NBA streams and are not recommended.
In summary, NBA League Pass combined with a good live TV streaming service gives you full legal access to live NBA games online. Be cautious of unauthorized streaming sites and consider using a VPN for blackout games.