Watch NBA Live

Want to watch NBA games live this season? They are now split among three companies plus a separate service for out-of-market games, so the right place depends on what you want to watch. Pick yours below.

The league's current agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon run 11 years, so this is how the NBA will be watched for a long time, not a one-season experiment.

Why it got harder to find an NBA game

Not long ago the answer was one or two channels. Now ABC and ESPN, NBC and Peacock, and Prime Video each have their own nights, and each keeps its games inside its own app. TNT is no longer one of the partners, so the habit of flipping there no longer works.

On top of the national games, every team also has games that belong to a local broadcaster, and a separate service sells the games from teams outside your area. Which one you need depends on the game in front of you, and that is what the guides below sort out.

Which of these sounds like you

You want to know where tonight's game is. Each night of the week belongs to a different home, and some nights only begin in the middle of the season. The night-by-night guide lists them in order.

You don't want to pay for cable. Most of the national games can be watched without it, with an antenna and one or two apps. The no-cable guide shows what each option covers and what it costs.

You only care about the biggest games. An antenna may be all you need. The no-cable guide explains which marquee games air on broadcast stations, and which never do.

You follow a team from another city. That is the one thing the national apps don't do. The League Pass guide explains what it shows, what it blocks and which plan fits.

This season in a few dates

• Opening night: Tuesday, October 20, a three-game slate on NBC and Peacock.
• Opening week: ESPN doubleheaders on October 21 and 22, and Prime Video's first Friday on October 23.
• NBA Cup final: December 11.
• Christmas Day: five games on ABC and ESPN.
• All-Star Weekend: February 19 to 21.
• Regular season ends: April 11, 2027, followed by the Play-In Tournament and the playoffs.

The honest part: there is no single subscription

Each of the three companies paid to keep its share of the schedule, and that payment is why the games stay in separate apps. No subscription holds all of them, at any price.

The closest thing is a mix: a live TV service or an antenna for the broadcast and cable channels, plus the apps that hold their own games. Even then, blackout rules can lock you out of a game you expected to see.

What still costs nothing each month: an antenna picks up the games on ABC and NBC, including the NBA Finals.

Before you pay for anything

• Find the game's night first. The night decides the network, and the network decides the app.
• Several nights start mid-season. Thursday, Saturday and Sunday games arrive between December and February, so there is no rush to pay for them in October.
• Check that the plan you pick carries live sports. Some cheaper tiers do not.
• National games and local games are sold separately. A national app will not show a team's local broadcast.
• Game times are Eastern unless marked otherwise.
• Subscribe for the months you actually watch. The playoffs run into June.
• The league's own Tap to Watch tool links every game to where it streams for you.

What it costs, roughly

It ranges from nothing a month with an antenna, to about $9 to $32 for a single app, to around $52 to $55 for all three national partners. League Pass is a separate cost on top. Approximate US prices as of October 2026; plans change.

The guides above give the breakdown for each.

FAQ

What channel is the NBA on tonight?

It depends on the night. Each night belongs to a different network, and the night-by-night guide lists them.

Can I watch the NBA without cable?

Yes, most national games. The no-cable guide covers what an antenna and the apps include.

Is the NBA on TNT?

No. TNT is not one of the league's national partners.

Is there one app with every NBA game?

No. The three partners keep their games in separate apps, and out-of-market games are sold through League Pass.

Why can't I watch my team's game on the app I pay for?

Local games are sold to a separate broadcaster, and League Pass blocks them live in your area.

Where are the NBA Finals?

On ABC, which an antenna picks up.

Wrap-up

That is where to watch NBA games this season: three national partners, one out-of-market service and a few things worth checking before you pay. Which are you after, tonight's game, the cheapest way in, or every game?