This year’s NBA playoffs began Tuesday, April 16, with the play-in tournament to determine the last two qualifiers in the Eastern and Western Conference. The top six teams from each conference moved on to the post-season in hopes of making it to the 2024 NBA Finals.
Below we’ve laid out what channels and sports streaming services will give you the best viewing experience to watch the 2024 NBA Playoffs. One thing is for certain – whether you’re on the East or West coast, this years playoffs will not disappoint.
Where can you stream the NBA playoffs?
| DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| TNT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NBA TV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ |
What channels air the NBA playoffs?
The 2024 NBA playoffs and play-in tournament will air on four channels: ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. To make life easy for those without a cable subscription we’ve laid out the streaming services that will best equip you to watch all of the action this NBA postseason.
Post-Season Schedule
Play-In Tournament schedule
Eastern Conference
- 7/8 Game: Miami vs. Philadelphia; Wednesday, April 17 (7 ET; ESPN)
- 9/10 Game: Atlanta vs. Chicago; Wednesday, April 17 (9:30 ET; ESPN)
Western Conference
- 7/8 Game: L.A. Lakers vs. New Orleans, Tuesday, April 16 (7:30 ET; TNT)
- 9/10 Game: Golden State vs. Sacramento, Tuesday, April 16 (10 ET; TNT)
Playoff Schedule
- April 20-21: First round starts
- May 4-7: Second round starts
Semifinals schedule
- Semifinals will begin May 6-7 but can move up to May 4-5 if series from the prior round end early.
- Conference finals will begin May 21-22 but can move up to May 19-20 if series from the prior round end early.
Finals schedule
- Thursday, June 6: Game 1
- Sunday, June 9: Game 2
- Wednesday, June 12: Game 3
- Friday, June 14: Game 4
- Monday, June 17: Game 5 (if necessary)
- Thursday, June 20: Game 6 (if necessary)
- Sunday, June 23: Game 7 (if necessary)
How to watch the NBA playoffs on DIRECTV STREAM
- Suggested Plan: Choice
- Price: $108.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 5-Days
- Channels Included: ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV
DIRECTV STREAM has one of the largest channel lineups in streaming: home to 150-plus channels across five different packages. However, DIRECTV STREAM is also one of the priciest streaming services on the market, often hovering around $1 per channel. That said, you won’t have a problem catching the NBA playoffs with this service. DIRECTV STREAM subscribers who choose a Choice package or above will be able to watch games on ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV.
Further, DIRECTV STREAM is one of the only streaming services that offers regional sports networks, which are great for catching regular season NBA games not on national TV (e.g., the Chicago Bulls on NBC Sports Chicago). Give DIRECTV STREAM a shot by signing up for a free trial.
How to watch the NBA playoffs on Fubo
- Suggested Plan: Pro
- Price: $79.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
- Channels Included: ABC, ESPN, NBA TV
We can’t forget Fubo, one of the best sports streaming services on the market. Fubo streams over 100 sports events every week across all plans. The Pro plan includes 156+ channels, the Elite plan has 224+channels, and the Premier plan features 233+ channels. Some events are even available in 4K.
Fubo doesn’t offer TNT but does include ABC and ESPN across all plans, and NBA TV is available via the Sports Plus add-on an additional monthly fee. Fubo customers can also enjoy up to 1,000 hours of DVR and stream on 10 in-home screens. Get started with FuboTV on their 5-day free trial.
How to watch the NBA playoffs on Hulu + Live TV
- Suggested Plan: Hulu + Live TV
- Price: $76.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 3-Days
- Channels Included: ABC, ESPN, TNT
Hulu + Live TV can be your front-row seat to the 2024 NBA playoffs. With hulu + Live TV, you can stream 95-plus live TV channels, including your NBA playoff necessities — ABC, ESPN, and TNT. Hulu + Live TV does not offer NBA TV, but you won’t miss much. Hulu + Live TV also comes bundled with ESPN Plus and Disney Plus.
Plus, Hulu + Live TV’s sports features make it super easy to follow your favorite team. Simply add your favorite NBA team to the “My Stuff” tab and easily see when they play next. You can also see all NBA games live in the “Sports” tab by clicking “NBA.” Going to miss a game? No sweat — Hulu also comes with unlimited cloud DVR.
How to watch the NBA playoffs on Sling TV
- Suggested Plan: Sling Orange & Blue + Sports Extras
- Price: $55 + $15 (Sports Extras)
- Free Trial: N/A
- Channels Included: ABC*, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV
Get access to NBA playoff action for a bargain. Sling TV is the cheapest way to watch the NBA playoffs without cable. With Sling Orange, you’ll gain access to ESPN and TNT, and in some areas, Sling Blue comes with locals including ABC. You can also get access to all of Sling’s base channels with the Sling Orange & Blue plan. Enter your zipcode on Sling’s website to see which channels you’ll get in your area.
Want to get NBA TV? Sling TV has you covered. Just add on a Sports Extra package to any Sling TV base plan for 14 additional sports channels, including NBA TV. With Sling, you don’t have to break the bank to watch this years NBA playoffs.
How to watch the NBA playoffs on YouTube TV
- Suggested Plan: Base
- Price: $72.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
- Channels Included: ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV
You can also catch the NBA playoffs on YouTube TV this year. YouTube TV’s impressive Base plan boasts 100-plus channels, including ABC, ESPN, and TNT. With YouTube TV, you can also “level up game day” with a few exclusive features, including Key Plays View, which catches you up by showing the game’s biggest plays so far, and Stats View, which shows players’ stats in real-time.
YouTube TV also has unlimited cloud DVR, so you can save your favorite moments from the 2024 NBA playoffs to your account and watch them if — and we said if — your team gets eliminated. Plus, YouTube TV is great for divided households, letting you create six different profiles per account, so Warriors fans and Lakers fans can stay civil under one roof.
Check out a free trial on YouTube TV to see if it will meet your NBA playoff needs.
FAQ
How can I watch the Play-In Tournament in 2024?
TNT and ESPN will air all six Play-In Tournament games. You can watch with Sling TV, DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV or YouTube TV. NBA League Pass will also livestream.
Are the NBA playoffs on Amazon Prime?
The NBA playoffs are not on Amazon Prime due to the playoffs being nationally televised.
Will the NBA playoffs be on Hulu?
Yes, you can watch the NBA playoffs on Hulu with a Hulu + Live TV subscription. Live TV plans include ABC, ESPN, and TNT, all of which will air NBA playoff games this year.
"We often receive complimentary products to review at Sportsnaut. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team."