How to Watch NBA Games Online without Cable (2022 Streaming Guide)

Looking for ways to watch NBA games online without cable or satellite TV this season? Tired of paying an arm and a leg just to watch your favorite team all season?

You’re not alone.

The good news is itt’s easier than ever to watch sports without cable. In fact, with more and more live streaming services offering a mix of local, sports, and entertainment channels, it’s simple to have cable-free access to all the mainstream sports you watch. With the use of the right streaming services, you will be able to watch your team all the way from pre-season to the Championship!

The NBA season will kick off the preseason on September 30, 2022. The regular season begins on Tuesday, October 18. If you have access to a few channels, you can watch the whole thing without cable.

In the sections below you’ll learn all about the channels you need to watch NBA online and what services offer those channels!

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how to watch NBA games online without cable!

 

WHAT CHANNELS OFFER NBA GAMES?

The NBA TV schedule for this season includes games airing nationally on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, and TNT.

If you care about following your local team all season long, you absolutely must have a TV package that has your area’s regional sports networks. These channels are available based on location and generally air your local teams all throughout the season. Regional sports networks that you might need could include Altitude Sports, AT&T SportsNet, Bally Sports, MSG, NBC Sports, Root Sports, Spectrum SportsNet, and YES Network.

If you don’t have cable, a live streaming service is a great, legal alternative that will allow you to watch all your favorite sports. Once you pick a service (more on that soon) you can add the app to a variety of streaming devices. You can also watch through computers, phones, or even tablets. Some smart TVs also connect with some streaming apps. You’ve got plenty of options when it comes time to watch NBA online without cable!

 

THE BEST STREAMING SERVICES TO WATCH NBA GAMES ONLINE

Plenty of streaming services are out there that will let you watch NBA online. The best thing to do is to figure out which channels are airing the games you want to watch and choose a service that offers those channels. This ensures that you get all the coverage you’re looking for at the lowest possible price.

The great thing about streaming services is that they give you all the benefits of cable at a lower price, with added perks, and no commitments. All of the services mentioned here are pay-as-you-go, and with no contracts, you’re free to end your subscription whenever you want. Between this and the option of some free trials, it won’t be long until you’re signed up to the best sports streaming service to cover your favorite sports.

 

DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM is one of the best choices if you want a large package that almost feels like cable. While the look may remind you of cable, DIRECTV STREAM is available without a contract, so you can cancel at any point. Plans start with 65 channels, but much larger plans are also available.

You can find all of the available channels in the DIRECTV STREAM channels list but when it comes to NBA, you should be totally covered. Local channels are available in most areas, so you should have ABC. Plans also include ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, and TNT. And most importantly, DIRECTV STREAM has the most extensive coverage of regional sports networks of any streaming service, so chances are that you’ll be able to watch NBA games online in your market all season long.

You can even add NBA League Pass to your plan for an additional fee, if you want to go the extra mile.

As with all streaming services, DIRECTV STREAM offers plenty of subscription perks. Among the more popular options, you’ll have an on-demand library complete with 40,000 hours of content. A cloud-based DVR is also included. Other features include simultaneous streaming and access to TV Everywhere apps.

You can stream DIRECTV STREAM on computers, smartphones and tablets, some smart TVs, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, and other devices.

Visit our DIRECTV STREAM review for more details.

A 5-day free trial is offered to new subscribers of DIRECTV STREAM.

 

fuboTV

fuboTV is a great way to fill your sports fix. This live streaming service started out by offering mainly sports. They offer a large mix of everything now, but sports are still heavy in the lineup. Multiple packages are available starting at $70 per month.

You can stream fuboTV on most popular streaming devices. You can watch on your smart phone, tablet, or computer. You can also hook devices like Roku, Chromecast, or Apple TV to your TV to watch on the big screen.

Every fuboTV package comes with an on-demand library, access to TV Everywhere apps, and a cloud-based DVR. You can stream on multiple devices at the same time, which means that everyone in the family will be able to watch what they want.

Take a look at the fuboTV channel lineup to see all of the channels available in the various packages. Depending on the package you choose you could end up with local channels (available in most areas), some regional sports channels (Bally Sports is not currently available), ESPN, Discovery, FS1, AMC, FX, Syfy, ESPN2, and more. TNT is not included. NBA TV can be added for an additional fee through the fuboTV Extra add-on.

Find out full details in our fuboTV review.

All new fuboTV subscribers will kick off their plan with a free one-week trial. You can be signed up and watching the game in minutes!

 

Hulu Live

Hulu with Live TV is a live and on-demand streaming service. The service started more like Netflix, with just on-demand content and Originals, but have since added live TV to the lineup. This makes Hulu TV great for binge watchers because you have the freedom to enjoy live TV or to binge thousands of hours of classic TV, Hulu Originals, or even FX on Hulu content. Hulu Live features one Live TV package with over 85 channels for $70 a month.

As the Hulu with Live TV lineup will tell you, the service offers something for everyone. For NBA fans, you’ll have access to TNT, local channels (in most areas), ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT. NBA TV is not available and the selection of regional sports networks is fairly limited.

Packages are contract-free. Several add-on options for premium movie channels and more are also available.

One of the coolest features that Hulu Live offers is that subscribers also receive access to ESPN+ and Disney+ at no additional charge. This gives you live TV and multiple services at one cost! Other features include the full Hulu on-demand library, a cloud DVR, access to TV Everywhere apps, and family-friendly features like simultaneous streaming and the ability to make multiple profiles under one account.

You can stream Hulu Live through the same Hulu app you’ve probably used before. This means that you can use most streaming devices with Hulu Live. Some options include Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, computers, mobile devices, tablets, smart TVs, gaming consoles, and more!

Check out our Hulu Live review.

Click here to try Hulu Live free for 7 days.

 

Sling TV

Sling TV is the cheapest way to stream sports through a live streaming service! You can choose from three packages, starting at $35 per month.

Depending on your package, Sling TV gives you access to games airing on ABC, through ESPN3. So, while you won’t technically have ABC, you will be able to watch any games airing on the network by flipping over to ESPN3 in the guide. You’ll also have ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT. NBA TV is available for a fee with all of the packages Sling TV offers.

The big thing missing for those who want to watch NBA games online is regional sports networks. If you care about following every game of your local team, Sling TV might not be the best choice, but if you’re just someone who likes to watch the national games, it’s definitely a solid option.

The Sling TV channel lineup is smaller than a lot of the packages we’ve mentioned. That said, they are also the cheapest and they offer the most room for package personalization. There are plenty of add-ons that can be tacked on to your package. This ensures that you get what you want, and you spend less doing it!

Sling TV subscribers receive access to an on-demand library, TV Everywhere apps, and a cloud-based DVR with limited space. Simultaneous streaming is available, though the number of streams depends on the plan you purchase. You can stream Sling TV on most common streaming devices including mobile, computers, Apple TV, Roku, and more.

Visit our Sling TV review to learn more.

Click here to try Sling TV.

 

YouTube TV

If you’re looking for a popular and reliable streaming service, it might be worth it to check out YouTube TV! 85+ channels are available for $65 per month. No hassles or contracts are included, so you’re free to cancel when you want. Your package will include local channels in most areas.

Other channels you’ll receive include ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and NBA TV. That means you’ll have all the channels to watch every national game that airs during NBA season. However, their selection of regional sports networks is very limited, so if you’re wanting to follow your local team all throughout the season, YouTube TV might not be your best option.

You’ll also have MLB Network, TBS, FX, Disney, Food Network, Discovery, and much more. Our YouTube TV channel lineup guide has all the details.

YouTube TV offers plenty of channel add-ons, should you want even more to watch! This includes added sports, premium movie channels, and package bundles that will give you a variety of channels added to your package.

You can stream YouTube TV on all of the most popular streaming devices. This includes everything from smart phones to Roku. Plan features include an unlimited cloud-based DVR, simultaneous streaming, additional profiles, an on-demand library, and access to TV Everywhere apps.

Read our YouTube TV review to learn more.

YouTube TV comes with a free 7-day trial.

 

FAQ

You should have a good idea about how to watch NBA online without cable, but if you still have a question or two, you might find the answer here.

Can I watch NBA games live online?

You can! If you don’t have cable, you can watch every NBA game live online through any of the streaming services listed in the section above.

Can I watch NBA games online without cable for free?

While you can watch NBA games online, you won’t be able to watch them for free. At most, you can use one of the streaming services’ free trials to watch a game or two. Otherwise, all of the services offering the chance to watch NBA online do charge something.

How do you watch NBA on TV without cable?

You just need to find the right streaming service for you. All the services listed here offer some or all of the networks that air NBA games this season. Just choose a service, sign up, and you can be streaming in minutes!

What is the best streaming service to watch NBA games online?

That will depend on what you personally want. All of the services listed here are great services, it’s just about finding the channel selection you want at a price you’re comfortable with.

 

 

A FINAL WORD ON HOW TO WATCH NBA ONLINE WITHOUT CABLE

Once you pick the service you want to use to watch NBA online this season, all the hard work will be done. You have plenty of options to choose from and many of them will allow you to watch all the games you want over the season!

You can stay current on all of your favorite sports using a live streaming service. You can connect your device to the internet and log into these services to watch live TV from just about anywhere.

If you’re still not sure which service to choose, remember that many of them offer free trials. This will allow you to sample the service before you commit. Just remember to cancel the service before the trial ends, otherwise, you will have to pay for the service until you cancel.

Hopefully, you now have all the details you need to watch NBA games online, but if you still need a little help, you can let us know in the comments.