The 2024 NBA playoffs tip off on Saturday, April 20. The good news? Streaming all the action online is a breeze. In this article, we’ll break down which networks showcase the NBA playoff fixtures in your country and how a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be your ticket to catching the games, even if you’re abroad.
Note that we’re only recommending official sources for watching the 2023/2024 NBA playoffs. The NBA is incredibly popular, and as such, unlicensed streams are almost inevitable. However, we strongly advise against using them. They’re often laggy, low resolution, and prone to being taken offline for copyright violation at any moment. This means you might not even see who wins a given game. Most countries have at least one official NBA broadcaster anyway, so there’s no need to resort to shady, unauthorized streams.
Many of the services showing the NBA playoffs are geo-restricted. As such, you’ll need a VPN to access your usual home services while traveling abroad.
How to watch the NBA playoffs with a VPN
Never used a VPN before? Not sure how to get started? Follow the steps below to unblock and stream the 2023/2024 NBA games from anywhere.
Here’s how to watch the NBA playoffs online from anywhere:
- First of all, you’ll need a VPN. We particularly recommend NordVPN, but Surfshark and ExpressVPN are both great options, too.
- Now, download and install the VPN app. Most offer a selection of apps for different operating systems, so be sure to get the right one for your device.
- Decide which of the streaming services below you’d like to unblock and sign up if you haven’t already.
- Connect to a VPN server in the required country. For example, you’d use an American server to unblock ESPN or a British server to watch on TNT Sports.
- Try playing a video on your chosen service. In most cases, it will begin immediately, but if you see an error or the video buffers endlessly, clear your browser’s cookies and cache, then reload the page.
NBA playoff games are broadcast live, which is why it’s so important to check that your VPN works in advance. By performing the steps above ahead of time, you ensure there’ll be enough time to get help from your VPN’s customer service team in case of any problems. This also reduces your chances of missing the start of the game.
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How to stream the NBA playoffs live without cable in the US
In the US, NBA playoff coverage is split between four channels: ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. ESPN, ABC, and NBA TV allow you to watch for free if your cable TV package includes these channels. But what if you don’t have cable? The good news is that you can still stream every single NBA game live online.
Both ESPN and NBA TV allow you to watch at no additional cost if you have a FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV account. We’d recommend signing up for a Sling TV account if you don’t already have one, as it’s the least expensive of the services above. The Blue plan costs $40 USD monthly (currently $20 for your first month) and includes TNT, ABC, ESPN1, ESPN2, and ESPN3. ESPNU can be added as part of the Sports Extra pack for an extra $11 per month, but you can skip this if you’re not interested in college basketball.
The services above are all geo-restricted and can only be accessed in the USA. Additionally, they require you to have a payment method linked to an American address, so it’s difficult for foreign users to register. Americans in other countries can still sign up and use these platforms by connecting to a VPN, however. NordVPN is your best bet for this and it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
Where else can I watch the NBA playoffs online?
Want to watch NBA playoff coverage from outside the US? No problem: take a look below to find out which networks are showing the 2023/2024 NBA playoff games in your country.
Canada
Canadian basketball fans can find NBA games on three different services: Sportsnet ($19.99 CAD/month), TSN ($19.99/month), and NBA TV Canada. So, what’s the best course of action? Well, NBA TV Canada doesn’t offer live streams of games. Instead, these are split between TSN and Sportsnet. If either channel is included in your cable plan, you can just sign in with your provider details to watch online at no added cost.
These streaming platforms are only available in Canada. That said, you can access them from other countries by connecting to a Canadian VPN server.
UK
In the UK, NBA fixtures are shown on TNT Sports. There are multiple ways to watch TNT Sports. You may already have access to it via BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media. Otherwise, you can add it to your subscription. If you don’t want to have to commit to a contract, it’s possible to stream TNT Sports via Discovery+ Premium (GBP £30.99/month)
Alternatively, you could sign up for NBA League Pass: this currently costs £29.99 for the remainder of the season. The above options are all geo-restricted. This means you’ll have to either be in the UK or connected to a British VPN server to use them.
Australia
It’s easy to watch the NBA playoffs live in Australia as nearly every game is shown on the same channel: ESPN. If you already get ESPN as part of your Optus or Foxtel TV package, you can just sign into the Fetch or Foxtel Go app and start watching immediately.
Want to watch the 2024 NBA playoffs in Australia without cable? Kayo Sports includes ESPN and shows most NBA playoff games. It costs $25 AUD monthly and comes with a 7-day free trial. All of the above options are only available in Australia. You can use these services as normal from abroad by using a VPN.
France
beIN Sports and NBA TV both broadcast NBA playoff games in France. To stream NBA TV and every NBA playoff fixture live online, you’ll have to purchase a League Pass which costs €59.99 per season. If you’d like to be able to watch every NBA game, you’ll also have to pay a further €15 per month for beIN Sports.
Both services above are geo-restricted, meaning you’ll need a VPN to access them abroad. Connecting to a server in France for a French IP address will do the trick.
Other locations
There’s no need to worry if we haven’t mentioned your country above. The NBA is extremely popular and, accordingly, has official broadcasters worldwide. Better still, the NBA even provides a list of official international broadcasters, meaning it’s easy to find out exactly where and when you can stream NBA games in your country.
2024 NBA playoffs schedule
The excitement of the NBA playoffs is set to return with the 2023/2024 season unfolding. Here are the key dates to mark on your calendar for the 2023/2024 NBA Playoffs:
- Play-In Tournament: April 16-19, 2024
- Playoffs Begin: April 20, 2024
- NBA Finals: Starting on June 6, 2024, with a possible Game 7 slated for June 23, 2024
Make sure to adjust your schedule to catch all the action live, and stay tuned as we provide insights on how to watch the NBA playoffs from anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a free VPN to watch NBA?
You can’t realistically use a free VPN to watch the NBA online. One of the main issues is that free VPNs don’t offer enough servers or IP addresses to meet the high number of users they attract. The result is that IP addresses quickly become blacklisted, failing to unblock content.Â
Servers suffer from the heavy load and streams are often low resolution and with excessive lag as a result. Besides, a free VPN likely won’t provide you with sufficient security anyway.
Where can I find the NBA Playoff schedule?
With dozens of games coming up, it wouldn’t make sense for us to list them all here. However, the NBA website actually has a fantastic, region-specific schedule that’ll let you know which networks are showing each game in your country, as well as what time it’ll air where you are.
