This year’s NBA playoffs are among the most-exciting in recent memory, and the action is set to kick off this weekend.
The 2023 NBA playoffs have been highly anticipated, with fans eager to see how the league’s top teams will perform on the biggest stage. With several standout players and teams, this year’s playoffs promise to be an exciting and unpredictable ride.
In the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets are the clear favorites, with a star-studded roster that includes Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. Out in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers are once again a top contender, led by the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Adding to all the excitement, the playoffs will spotlight a number of other strong teams, including the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors, and Denver Nuggets. With so many talented teams and players vying for a chance at the championship, the 2023 NBA playoffs promise to be a thrilling and unforgettable postseason.
In year’s past, if you didn’t have cable or satellite, you weren’t able to follow all the action from the NBA Playoffs. This year, things are different — there’s a number of affordable streaming television services that will carry every minute of the 2023 NBA Playoffs without breaking the bank, with games played across ABC (ESPN3), ESPN, TNT and NBA TV.
With all the streaming services out there, it can be difficult wading through the options to find the best service to fit your needs. The Desk makes it easier by ranking the best streaming services to catch the 2023 NBA Playoffs, with our top choice being the most affordable…
- See the schedule for Games 1-4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs
- Watch playoff games from ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV on Sling TV
- Watch playoff games from ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV on YouTube TV
- Watch playoff games from ABC and NBA TV on Fubo
Stream the 2023 NBA Playoffs on Sling TV
Cost: $40 a month (Sling Orange package has ESPN)
Sling Orange channels: ABC*, ESPN*, ESPN3*, TNT, NBA TV**
Number of channels: 31-41 channels, depending on base package
Cloud DVR: 50 hours for free, 200 hours for extra fee
Get it: Click or tap here
Sling TV’s low cost makes it the CHEAPEST way to catch the 2023 NBA Playoffs without cable or satellite. The Sling Orange package costs $40 a month and offers access to local ABC affiliates (in some markets), ESPN, ESPN3 (for games televised on ABC in areas where Sling doesn’t carry the local station), TNT and NBA TV (available in the Sports Extra add-on package).
Right now, Sling TV has a promotion where new subscribers can score a 50 percent discount off Sling Orange, bringing the price down to just $20 for the first month of service — making it the most-affordable way to watch every game from the 2023 NBA Playoffs online.
Sling TV is available across a wide number of devices, including popular streaming platforms (Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV/Google TV), on smart TV sets (Samsung, LG, Vizio, etc.), game consoles, phones, tablets and on computers.
* – ABC, ESPN and ESPN3 programming requires Sling Orange package. ABC stations only available in some areas; customers who can’t receive their local ABC station through Sling TV can watch ABC-televised NBA games via the ESPN3 channel on Sling TV.
** – NBA TV is available on Sling TV with the Sports Extra package.
Stream the 2023 NBA Playoffs on YouTube TV
Cost: $73 a month (get a free trial and discount)
Channels: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 (via ESPN app), TNT, NBA TV
Number of channels: Over 85, exact number depends on region
Cloud DVR: One-year unlimited DVR, save anything and everything
Get it: Click or tap here
YouTube TV serves around 5 million cord-cutters who have ditched cable or satellite for cheaper online-only offerings. That said, earlier this year, the service recently announced a price increase that brings the cost of service to $73 a month, which might be a lot for those who are just looking to watch the 2023 NBA Playoffs at the most-affordable rate.
Thankfully, readers of The Desk can get a free trial to YouTube TV and a nice discount of $15 off their service for three months when they sign up for YouTube TV using this link. That brings the price down to just $58 a month for the first three months after the free trial period ends (which is typically between 7 and 10 days, depending on when you sign up).
YouTube TV is the best and easiest way to catch all the action from the 2023 NBA Playoffs this year, with the service offering local ABC stations across the country, plus live streams of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 (via ESPN app), TNT and NBA TV, plus dozens of other channels like Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, CBS Sports Network and local stations offering CBS, Fox, NBC and PBS programming.
YouTube TV is widely available across a number of devices, including all popular streaming TV platforms (Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV/Google TV and Roku) as well as on phones, tablets and computers. There’s even a YouTube TV app for those who stream movies and shows on their Samsung, LG and Vizio TVs without a separate device, so you really can’t go wrong with YouTube TV.
Stream the 2023 NBA Playoffs on Fubo
Cost: $75 a month, plus sports fee (get a free trial)
Channels: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 (via ESPN app), NBA TV
Number of channels: Over 100, exact number depends on package
Cloud DVR: Varies by package, but typically enough to save many shows
Get it: Click or tap here
Fubo (formerly Fubo TV) is one of the best ways to watch most NBA games as well as a number of other sports, including football, baseball, hockey, tennis and auto racing — so there’s plenty for everyone to watch, no matter what sport is their thing.
Fubo offers live access to ABC stations and affiliates, ESPN, ESPN3 (via ESPN app) and NBA TV with their base package, which costs $75 a month (plus a regional sports fee, which varies by city). Unfortunately, Fubo doesn’t carry TNT, so fans whose teams are playing on TNT this year will have to pick Sling TV or YouTube TV over Fubo to stream that channel without cable or satellite. Fubo offers a 7-day free trial when customers sign up at this link.
Fubo TV is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV/Google TV, XBox, Samsung Tizen, Google Chromecast and other streaming platforms. Fubo TV also has an app for phones and tablets, and content can be streamed through a web browser on desktop and laptop computers.
2023 NBA Playoff Schedule
Filter and search through the 2023 NBA Playoff schedule to find the date, time, channels and streaming services carrying the games you want to watch.
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(Dates, times and channels were accurate as of April 15 and are subject to change; some game information, including times and channels were unavailable at press time, but will be added once they are announced).
