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How to Watch the NBA 2020-2021 Season without Cable

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NBA 2020 returns

The 2020-2021 NBA season begins this Tuesday, December 22, and runs through May 16, with play-in games May 18-21 and the NBA Playoffs from May 22-July 22.

On December 22, the basketball season opens as the Brooklyn Nets host the Golden State Warriors at 7 p.m and the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers take on the LA Clippers at 10 p.m. Both games will air on TNT as part of their NBA opening night doubleheader. The easiest way to watch would be by using a free trial to one of the streaming services below (all have TNT in their channel lineup.

However, this guide isn’t only about watching the NBA’s opening night. I’m going to explain how you can watch every NBA game this season, whether you live in or out of a team’s market, even if that game is nationally televised.

Table of Contents

Watching Nationally Televised NBA Games

Nationally televised NBA games will are on  ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV throughout the 2020-2021 season. However, you don’t need cable to watch nationally televised basketball games. Youtube TV carries all of those networks.

youtube tv

YouTube TV also carries ESPN, ESPN2, NBA TV, and TNT in its basic channel lineup for $64.99 per month after a 1-week free trial. YouTube TV also carries the local ABC station in most of the county. There is no long term contract with YouTube TV, and if you cancel within the trial period, you will not be charged.

Youtube TV supports Roku, Android, iOS (includes AirPlay to Apple TV), and Chromecasts/Chromecast-compatible TVs, and more. Check our review of YouTube TV for more details.

Watch Every NBA Game This Season

nba league pass

NBA League Pass will let you watch every Non-nationally televised NBA game, both preseason and regular season. The service offers three ways to subscribe:

  • Team Pass – Watch live, out-of-market games for your favorite team for $17.99 per month or $119 per year.
  • League Pass – Watch live, out-of-market games for every team for $28.99 per month or $199 per year.
  • Premium League Pass – Watch live, out-of-market games for every team for $39.99 per month or $249 per year.

Keep in mind that there are blackout rules for both preseason and regular-season games. Games won’t be aired live if:

  • They are being broadcast on ESPN, ABC, TNT & NBA TV 
  • They are being broadcast where you live by the regional sports network that owns the rights to air NBA games in your area

If a game meets either of the above criteria, the game won’t be available to watch until three hours after the live broadcast concludes for nationally broadcast games and 3 days if they were broadcast on your local markets regional sports network.

Once subscribed to NBA League Pass you watch through the NBA app. You can download the NBA app to any of the following devices:

  • iOS
  • Android
  • Roku
  • Apple TV
  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Android TV
  • PlayStation 4 and 5
  • Xbox One and Xbox Series X

If you subscribe to YouTube TV, there is an option to add NBA League Pass through their service. Pricing is the same. See our review of NBA League Pass for more information.

Global Version of NBA League Pass

Unlike the US version of NBA League Pass, the international version of NBA League Pass has no blackout restrictions (except in Canada). Even if you live in the US, you can use a VPN based outside the U.S. to watch International NBA League Pass. We explain how to do this in our guide to working around sports blackouts.

How To Watch Each NBA Teams Games In-Market

Below are how to watch each NBA Teams games if you live in that team’s TV market. You can also watch any game by using the NBA Blackout Workaround regardless of where you live or which team you want to watch.

How To Watch Atlanta Hawks Games

If you live in the Hawks’ TV market, you can watch games on Fox Sports South and Fox Sports Southeast which is available through the following:

How to Watch Boston Celtics Games

If you live in the Celtics TV market, you can watch the Celtics on NBC Sports Boston, which is available through the following streaming services:

How to Watch Brooklyn Nets Games

If you live in the Nets’ TV market, you can watch the Nets on YES Network, which is available through the following:

How To Watch Charlotte Hornets Games

If you live in the Hornets’ TV market, you can watch games on Fox Sports Southeast which is available through the following:

How to Watch Chicago Bulls Games

If you live in the Bulls’ TV market, you can watch on NBC Sports Chicago, which is available through the following:

How To Watch Cleveland Cavaliers Games

If you live in the Cavaliers’ TV market, you can watch games on Fox Sports Ohio which is available through the following:

How To Watch Dallas Mavericks Games

If you live in the Mavericks’ TV market, you can watch games on Fox Sports Southwest which is available through the following:

How to Watch Denver Nuggets Games

If you live in the Nuggets’ TV market, games will air on Altitude Sports. d ESPN. It was also recently announced that Altitude is now available through AT&T TV Now on their Max channel package for $80 per month (Check out our review of AT&T TV or sign up for their free trial)

How To Watch Detroit Pistons Games

If you live in the Pistons’ TV market, you can watch games on Fox Sports Detroit which is available through the following:

How to Watch Golden State Warriors Games

If you live in the Warriors’ TV market, you can watch the Warriors play on NBC Sports Bay Area, which is available through the following streaming services:

How to Watch Houston Rockets Games

If you live in the Rockets’ TV market, you can watch the Rockets play on AT&T SportsNet Southwest, which is only available through the following streaming service:

Fubo TV – $54.99 per month (check out our review of fuboTV or sign up for their free trial)

How to Watch Indiana Pacers Games

If you live in the Pacers’ TV market, games will air on Fox Sports Indiana, which is available through the following:

How to Watch LA Clippers Games

If you live in the Clippers’ TV market, games will air on Fox Sports Prime Ticket, which is available through the following:

How to Watch LA Lakers Games

If you live in the Lakers’ TV market, games will air on Spectrum SportsNet, which is available through the following:

How to Watch Memphis Grizzlies Games

If you live in the Grizzlies’ TV market, you can watch the Grizzlies play on Fox Sports Southeast and Fox Sports South, which are available through the following:

How to Watch Miami Heat Games

If you live in the Heat’s TV market, you can watch the Heat play on Fox Sports Sun, which is available through the following:

How to Watch Milwaukee Bucks Games

If you live in the Bucks’ TV market, watch Bucks games on Fox Sports Wisconsin, which is available through the following:

How to Watch Minnesota Timberwolves Games

If you live in the Timberwolves’ TV market, games will air on Fox Sports North, which is available through the following:

How to Watch New Orleans Pelicans Games

Depending on where you live, games will air on Fox Sports New Orleans, Fox Sports Southeast, and Fox Sports South which are available through the following:

How to Watch New York Knicks Games

If you live in the Knicks TV market, you can watch games on MSG Network, which is available through the following streaming services:

How to Watch Oklahoma City Thunder Games

If you live in the Thunder’s TV market, games will air on Fox Sports Oklahoma, which is available through the following:

How to Watch Orlando Magic Games

If you live in the Magic’s TV market, you can watch the Magic on Fox Sports Florida, which is available through the following:

How to Watch Philadelphia 76ers Games

If you live in the 76ers’ TV market, you can watch the 76ers on NBC Sports Philadelphia, which is available through the following streaming services:

How to Watch Phoenix Suns Games

If you live in the Suns’ TV market, you can watch the Suns on Fox Sports Arizona, which is available through the following:

How to Watch Portland Trail Blazers Games

If you live in the Trail Blazers’ TV market, games will air on NBC Sports Northwest, which is available through the following streaming services:

How to Watch Sacramento Kings Games

If you live in the Kings’ TV market, you can watch the Kings play on NBC Sports California, which is available through the following streaming services:

How to Watch San Antonio Spurs Games

If you live in the Spurs’ TV market, you can watch the Spurs on Fox Sports Southwest, which is available through the following:

How to Watch Toronto Raptors Games

With the Raptors being based in Toronto, there is no U.S. based regional network where you can watch them. Luckily 5 of their 8 games are nationally televised. Three games will air on ESPN, one on NBA TV, one on TNT, and one on ABC. The Raptors may have one more nationally televised game, but it is still to be determined. YouTube TV (free trial) carries all of these networks and is your best options to watch these nationally televised games.

Another way to watch every Raptors game regardless of where you live is by using this NBA Blackout Workaround.

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How to Watch Utah Jazz Games

If you live in the Jazz TV market, games will air on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. The networks only streaming on AT&T TV Nows Max package for $80. If that’s too expensive, you may have to use this NBA Blackout Workaround to watch your Jazz games.

How to Watch Washington Wizards Games

If you live in the Wizards’ TV market, games will air on NBC Sports Washington, which is available through the following streaming services:

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