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The 2025 NBA Playoffs have reached their finale as the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder prepare to square off against the No. 4 Indiana Pacers. Both young teams are chasing their first NBA title (technically), promising an exciting outcome either way. The Thunder punched their ticket to the finals with a fairly breezy five-game series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Pacers secured their spot after a six-game battle against the New York Knicks.
At a Glance: How to Watch the NBA Playoffs
Stream: DirecTV, Fubo, Sling
TV Channel (finals): ABC
Dates: April 19-June 22 (latest)
As always, the NBA Playoffs are primarily available on cable TV channels. If you’ve cut the cord since last season’s playoffs, read on. Ahead, we’ve put together a full guide on the best ways to livestream the NBA Playoffs without cable, including key details about basketball’s biggest tournament.
How to Watch the NBA Playoffs Online
Coverage of the playoffs was spread out across multiple channels, but the NBA Finals are only on ABC. If you don’t have cable, you’ll need to get a live TV streaming service that carries ABC to watch the NBA Finals online. Here are two of the best options, including a quick review of each:
How to Watch NBA Playoffs Online: Livestream Basketball Without Cable
best overall
DirecTV
Pros: Free trial, affordable genre packs, ESPN+ included
Cons: Not as many entertainment channels in genre packs as other options
DirecTV now offers packages that don’t require any hardware, but still deliver the same comprehensive live TV coverage you’d expect from the brand. Better yet, DirecTV now offers a streamlined “MySports” package that carries 20+ top sports channels — including ABC for NBA Finals livestreams. This package costs $69.99 a month (less than similar packages) and starts with a five-day free trial.
How to Watch NBA Playoffs Online: Livestream Basketball Without Cable
Fubo
➤ Pros: Huge channel lineup, great local coverage, RSNs, watch on 10 screens
➤ Cons: No Warner Bros. channels (TNT, CNN, TBS, etc.), pricey
Another top choice for sports fans looking to stream the NBA Finals is Fubo. Subscriptions start with a five-day free trial and deliver an impressive lineup of 150+ channels, including ABC. It does come at a higher price, with plans starting at $84.99 per month, but you can also score $20 off your first month with Fubo’s current promotion.
How to Watch NBA Playoffs Online: Livestream Basketball Without Cable
also consider
Sling TV
Pros: Tons of channels, easy to use
Cons: No free trial, fewer sports channels in base packages
Another great live TV streaming service you can use to watch the NBA Playoffs online is Sling. Fans can get ABC in Sling’s Blue package, which starts at the very affordable price of $45.99 a month. Better yet, you can get 50% off your first month. Sling does not offer a free trial, however.
NBA Playoffs Schedule, Bracket 2025
The 2025 NBA Playoffs started on April 19 and run through the NBA Finals. The Finals begin on June 5 and run as late as June 22, if a Game 7 is necessary.
Here’s the schedule for the NBA Finals:
Game 1: Pacers at Thunder — Wednesday, June 5, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 2: Pacers at Thunder — Friday, June 8, 8 p.m. ET
Game 3: Thunder at Pacers — Monday, June 11, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 4: Thunder at Pacers — Thursday, June 13, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 5*: Pacers at Thunder — Saturday, June 16, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 6*: Thunder at Pacers — Tuesday, June 19, 8:30 p.m. ET
Game 7*: Pacers at Thunder — Friday, June 22, 8 p.m. ET
* If necessary