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The 75th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) has been the most unique in the league’s history. With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc, the 2020-2021 season will only have 72 games, unlike the typical 82-game seasons. But the good news is, this year’s NBA games will persist and the staff has assured that the season will not be canceled or suspended if there is an “expected number” of COVID-19 cases. Rest assured, NBA is rigorously applying safety protocols with daily testing of players and staff, quarantining COVID positive cases, and limiting people in team traveling parties.
NBA games kicked off on December 22. The rest of the season schedule is tentative to account for potential issues that may crop up during the season. However, the key dates have been released with the All-Star festivities scheduled for March 5-10, the Play-In Tournament for May 18-21, and the 2021 NBA Playoffs will start from May 22 and end on July 22.
As for the fans, they may not be able to have a full-frontal experience of the 2020-2021 season. The coronavirus guidelines for many states have categorically prohibited fans' attendance, while some states and teams have offered a ray of hope to sports buffs as they review plans to safely allow their return.
But you can still cheer for your favorite team this season digitally. There are dozens of NBA streaming services and NBA channel packages through which you can watch NBA games; the options widely vary. No matter if you are a cord-cutter, an NBA snob, or a money-savvy fan, by the end of this article you will know how to watch NBA games online.
To choose the best way to watch NBA games, know which channels broadcast these games the most. For that, you must ensure that these channels are included in the package you subscribe to for streaming NBA games.
You need to Google your local team to know its schedule and the channels its games will air on.
NBA streaming services are plenty and certainly more affordable than cable. You can subscribe to any of these platforms for streaming NBA games. You can also enjoy NBA streaming free through a free-trial period offered by many of these streaming platforms.
Sling TV offers the best value for sports and entertainment access online. With the Sling Orange package, you can watch TNT and ESPN for basketball games along with other sports networks like AMC, HGTV, CNN, and 50 more. All that for just $30/mo. There’s no fuss about contracts, you get a free 10 hour DVR and streaming access on 1 device. If you want more of basketball, you can activate the NBA League Pass for just $28.99/month. Sling TV offers a 7-day free trial. Currently, Sling is offering a free AirTV Mini streaming device if you prepay for 2 months of the Sling subscription fee.
Vidgo may not be as popular as other NBA streaming services, but it is certainly one of the top-notch variety. Vidgo lets you access 85 channels for $10/mo. for the first two months. After the end of the discount period, you will be charged $55/mo. Vidgo’s channel lineup includes ABC, ACCN, ESPN, FS1, FS2, MAVTV, and other sports networks to feed your thirst.
Vidgo offers a free trial for 3 days, and you can cancel your subscription anytime.
AT just $55/mo. catch all your favorite NBA cable channels i.e. ABC, ESPN, TNT, and TBS with AT&T TV Now. AT&T TV Now Plus package comes with 45 channels so you can stream live primetime favorites, thousands of on-demand shows, news, and non-stop sports, including the regional sports networks. Alas, NBA TV hasn’t included in AT&T TV Now packages, but it includes all of the Fox Sports regional networks and most of Comcast SportsNet (CSN) networks, so you can easily keep tabs on your local NBA team.
You can also go for AT&T TV Now Max package for $80/mo. and access 60 channels along with greater sports coverage.
There are no pesky contracts, and you don’t require any satellite or cable connection. You can record up to 500 hours in your Cloud DVR recordings, and stream on up to 3 devices on AT&T TV Now. Plus, you get free HBO Max™ and CINEMAX® in the MAX package.
If you are dying to have access to NBA TV, then you can add the channel to your FuboTV package through sports Plus add-on for $10.99/mo. or Fubo Extra add-on for $7.99/mo. FuboTV added ESPN and ABC to its Family and Elite packages. Alas, FuboTV got rid of TNT and Fox regional sports networks. If you want to catch up with your favorite sports teams during the NBA seasons, you may want to subscribe to the Elite plan for $79.99/mo. The Elite plan includes regional sports networks like NBC Sports California and NBC Sports Bay Area along with 160 channels. Watch 130 events in 4K, get a Cloud DVR with 1000 hours of storage, and stream on up to 5 devices. There is no free trial with the Fubo Elite plan. Other Fubo plans do offer a 7 day period free trial.
If you want entertainment and sports rolled into one, then go for Hulu Live TV. For only $64.99/mo. you can access Hulu’s huge library of movies, TV shows, and Hulu originals along with living TV. You can watch NBA games on channels like ESPN/ESPN2, ABC, and TNT. Moreover, the channel variety varies across markets. Enjoy a 7-day free trial on this all-in-one platform. Record live TV through the 50-hour Cloud DVR storage. You can customize your Hulu package by adding a number of add-ons. There are no contracts or installation processes.
YouTube TV is similar to Hulu Live TV in terms of pricing and channel variety. For $64.99/mo. YouTube TV offers 85 channels. But this streaming platform offers NBA, NFL, and MLB networks. You get unlimited cloud DVR storage and 3 streams and 6 accounts per household.
Platform | Package | Price | No. of Channels | Free Trial | NBA Offerings | Simultaneous Device | Streaming Countries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sling TV | Sling Orange | $30/mo. | 30 | 7 days | Live TV channels, including NBA TV. Plus, NBA League Pass activation for $28.99/mo. | 1 | US only |
Vidgo | Vidgo Plan | $10/mo. for the first 2 months (Regular $55/mo.) | 85 | 3 Days | Access to a number of local and national live sports channels including ABC and Fox. | 3 | US only |
AT&T TV Now | AT&T TV Now Plus | $55/mo. | 45 | 7 Days | All Fox Sports regional networks and most of Comcast SportsNet (CSN) networks available. | 3 | US only |
FuboTV | Elite | $79.99/mo. | 163 | None | Regional sports networks and live TV channels like ABC, ESPN, and NBA TV (add-on required) | 5 | US, Canada, and Spain |
Hulu Live TV | Hulu Live TV | $64.99/mo. | 65 | 7 Days | Live sports channels | 2 | US only |
YouTube TV | YouTube TV | $64.99/mo. | 85 channels | 7 Days | Live TV channels including NBA network | 3 | US only |
Even if you choose an NBA streaming package, there’s no way one service will include all the channels that cover the entire NBA season. With 72 games in the 2020-2021 season, some of them may not get a live broadcast.
So, if you want to have access to all games, then the NBA League Pass will grant you one. The League Pass covers more games (out-of-market) than the NBA channel packages from the streaming platform. The only downside is you won’t be able to cheer for your local team live with the league pass. Local games along with nationally broadcasted ones are blacked out. Moreover, in the US, NBA TV isn’t included in the Leagues Pass and requires a separate purchase.
NBA League Pass is offered in three different packages. Team Pass (One Team) is for $119.99/yr. or $17.99/mo. that includes every live and on-demand game of your favorite team. League Pass (All Teams) costs $199.99/yr. or $28.99/mo. and lets you access every live and on-demand game plus Finals games from the past 20 years. League Pass Premium costs $249.99 annually and $39.99 per month. With this package, you can watch hundreds of games from across the world without any commercials.
If you are a casual NBA fan and you think that the passes mentioned above will not provide value for money, then you can opt for an 8 or 3 games pass, depending on where you reside. As the name suggests, with this pass you can pick 8 or 3 games to watch On Demand or Live.
If you want to binge on in-market and out-of-market games every day of the year on multiple screens, then a cable or satellite TV package may be the most suitable option for you. There are many cable or satellite TV providers that include a whole range of sports channels along with NBA cable channels in their TV plans. But not many of them offer a lucrative enough deal. We have shortlisted providers that offer affordable and value-packed NBA channel packages.
If you are a true sports snob, then you better get yourself a DIRECTV package. DIRECTV is America’s top satellite TV service with up to 330 channels along with a dozen perks on the offer. Now you can even watch your favorite sports in an amazing 4K HDR quality with DIRECTV.
DIRECTV Ultimate package is for $84.99/mo. for the first 12 months, which includes 250 channels including TBS, TNT, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, Fox Sports, CBS sports network, and more.
DIRECTV Premier All Included is the boss of TV packages. Its 330 channel lineup includes every sports channel you could dream of for $134.99/mo. for the first 12 months. DIRECTV Premier can be a tad expensive. If you want to enjoy 40 regional and specialty sports networks at a lesser rate, then subscribe to a basic DIRECTV package with DIRECTV Sports Pack as an add-on.
You can also activate the NBA League Pass with DIRECTV and enjoy up to 40 live NBA regular-season games per week, and up to 12 games every night. Plus, you will be streaming NBA games in HD and on any screen you like. DIRECTV will charge you $199.95 for the NBA league pass and you can divide its payment into five of $39.99.
The NBA league Pass with DIRECTV will not renew automatically. You will have to log in to your myAT&T account to add the package.
Nothing can beat watching NBA games on Spectrum Cable TV because Spectrum TV packages offer an entire collection of sports networks that will keep you entertained throughout the year. Call 855-423-0918 or visit Spectrum deals for details
If you want to have every sports event at the tap of your finger, then a subscription to DIRECTV or a Spectrum package may guarantee it. Their premium packages include all national, international, and local sports networks. Plus, you can activate your NBA League Pass with DIRECTV easily.
If you are looking for a more affordable and flexible alternative, then Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu Live TV, Vidgo, Fubo TV, and AT&T TV Now can let you watch NBA without cable.
All Fox Sports regional networks and most of Comcast SportsNet (CSN) networks are available on AT&T TV Now for only $55 a month!
DIRECTV Ultimate package is for $84.99/mo. for the first 12 months, which includes 250 channels including TBS, TNT, ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, Fox Sports, CBS sports network, and more.
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