How to watch NBA games online in 2023

The 77th NBA season has concluded, with the Denver Nuggets winning the title of the best. Can’t watch the games because they’re unavailable in your region for one reason or another? Getting a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to unblock the geo-restricted online broadcasts is the solution.

With a VPN, you can unblock and watch all NBA games from anywhere.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) lets you connect to a country with an NBA broadcaster and watch all season 2022/23 games online. Find out more about the best VPN for streaming NBA and available broadcasters.

There are many streaming options discussed in detail below. The majority are available in select countries only. With a VPN, you’ll be able to spoof your location and watch NBA season 2022/23 hassle-free.

Why do you need a VPN to stream NBA in 2023

If you live in a country where NBA streams are unavailable, you will need a VPN. This tool helps to avoid geo-blocking restrictions and watch your favorite team’s games from anywhere. Your real IP address is changed to the one from your chosen country, and this way, you get full access.

Moreover, VPNs help against bandwidth throttling. This is a common tactic among Internet Service Providers (ISPs) where they reduce your connection speed if they see you downloading large amounts of data. If you use a solid VPN, there’s no way to tell what you’re doing online due to traffic encryption, meaning that your ISP gives you full internet speed.

Finally, some countries like China or Russia put serious effort into blocking online resources from abroad. With a reliable VPN, you can bypass the Great Firewall of China and similar censorship methods. At the same time, a VPN will help you stay safe and anonymous online.

Best VPN for watching the NBA games online

There are hundreds of VPNs readily available on the web. However, only a bunch of them can unlock NBA streams from anywhere and still provide excellent connectivity. And there’s only one service that can do it all at the highest level.

We’re talking about NordVPN, the best VPN for watching NBA season 2022/23. With 5800+ servers in 60 countries, this provider offers global coverage, allowing to choose from virtually all streaming services.

Furthermore, NordVPN is considered the fastest VPN, which translates into streaming in HD or even 4K video quality without buffering. Every NBA fan knows that there’s nothing worse than seeing a frozen screen while watching a live game. NordVPN’s proprietary NordLynx tunneling protocol ensures that nothing like this ever happens.

Learning how to use NordVPN is really easy. All you have to do is install the app for your device, choose a country, and press Connect. This provider supports major platforms plus Android TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and routers. Moreover, the SmartPlay feature allows you to watch NBA on various smart TVs and game consoles.

NordVPN has a 7-day free trial that requires an Android device. After activation, you can use it on other devices as well. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Top 3 VPNs for streaming NBA

Here are the best VPNs that we recommend for streaming NBA from any country. All of them unblock multiple content platforms and offer high performance. At the same time, these services support popular streaming devices:

• NordVPN – the best VPN for watching NBA games
• Surfshark – NBA VPN with no device limit
• PrivateVPN – inexpensive VPN for NBA streaming

Best streaming services for watching NBA

The question of where to watch NBA games comes back before each season. While the US broadcasters won’t change until the 2025/26 season, the situation abroad is far from stable. Besides, plenty of streaming services offer ESPN and Turner Sports programming, often combining them in one package.

You don’t need cable to enjoy NBA because online streaming services like NBA League Pass, Sling TV, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and DirecTV Stream offer hundreds of live games. Also, they support multiple streaming devices.

Below you will find the best streaming services for watching NBA live online. Not every one of them offers all games, but with the help of a VPN, you should be able to create a combo that satisfies your needs.

But before we get into details, we must warn that some NBA games are shown by regional sports networks. Thus, if you’re not in California, a Lakers–Clippers game may be out of reach if it’s not televised nationally.

Below are the best NBA streaming options for the 2022/23 season. All services are sorted according to their minimum price, but please be aware that most of the time, it won’t be enough to get all NBA games.

NBA League Pass

Includes: NBA League Pass, NBA TV
Price: from $28.99/month

NBA League Pass is by far the best streaming service for watching NBA games live online, provided you’re outside the US or use a VPN.

The US version offers the 2022/23 season, excluding the blackouts in your local market (more on this below) and nationally broadcasted games. Plus, you get archived games on-demand, condensed replays, and a two-device limit with the Premium option.

The price of NBA League Pass is $28.99/month or $199.99 annually. However, US residents will have to add NBA TV for $3.99 extra if they want additional 100 games and studio shows. Amazon Prime Video users can add NBA League Pass for the same price with a 7-day free trial. No money-back guarantee is available at the moment.

Alternatively, you can use NordVPN and buy the international version that includes every game plus NBA TV.

NBA League Pass supports a vast number of platforms. The range extends to desktop and mobile devices, Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Roku, and game consoles. Additionally, you can listen to live commentary on Apple Watch and CarPlay.

Sling TV

Includes: ESPN, TNT, NBA TV, NBA League Pass
Price: from $35.00/month

Another place where you can watch NBA games live is Sling TV. This streaming platform offers Orange and Blue packages that cost $35/month each. Both have TNT, but only the former includes ESPN. Grabbing the Orange + Blue deal for $50/month might be the best idea if you’re interested not only in NBA.

Another option is the Sports Extra package for $11/month that includes 100 games on NBA TV plus 13 sports channels. This way, you’ll be missing nationally televised ABC games only but paying for three months in advance gives you a free HD antenna to solve this issue.

Moreover, Sling TV lets you add NBA League Pass for $29/month to the Orange plan. However, buying its international version with NordVPN (now 68% off) would be a better idea. That’s because you get every NBA game live and NBA TV programming.

Supported devices include all major platforms plus Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick & Fire tablets, Roku, and Xbox, among others. Each Sling TV plan gives you 50 hours of DVR storage, which can be expanded to 200 hours by adding a fiver each month. Finally, you can watch Orange channels on one device and Blue channels on three devices at a time.

fuboTV

Includes: ABC, ESPN, NBA TV
Price: from $64.99/month

Available in the US, Canada, and Spain, fuboTV is a streaming service with more than 200 channels available, depending on your region and pricing plan. Among them, you will find ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, but not TNT. The former two are included in the Starter package that costs $64.99/month and has a 7-day free trial.

However, to get NBA TV, you’ll need either fubo Extra ($7.99/month) or Sports Lite ($9.99/month). The latter is the better option if you also watch MLB, NHL, or tennis. There are also plenty of other fuboTV add-ons worth checking out.

fuboTV supports the most popular streaming options, such as Android TV, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, and Xbox. The starter plan includes 250 hours of DVR and 3 simultaneous connections. Finally, 4K video quality is fully supported.

As mentioned earlier, fuboTV is unavailable in most countries. To solve this problem, get NordVPN with a 68% discount and watch NBA games from anywhere.

Hulu + Live TV

Includes: ABC, ESPN, TNT
Price: from $64.99/month

Known for its TV shows, movies, and 75+ channels, Hulu + Live TV is also a good option for watching NBA games live online in 2023. This service offers ABC, ESPN, and TNT but not NBA TV, which means missing about 100 events.

What’s more, there are many local channels for watching regionally televised games of season 2022/23 – the image below represents New York’s zip code 10001.

Hulu + Live TV costs $64.99/month, but you get a $10 discount for the first three. Moreover, there’s a 7-day free trial to see if you really like the service. One account lets you watch NBA on two different devices at once and record 50 hours in DVR.

The number of supported platforms is impressive. Hulu + Live TV is available on Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Roku, to name but a few. A classic Hulu app also works with older smart TVs, Blu-ray players, and other devices. Also, the apps themselves are easy to use.

Hulu + Live TV is available in the US, Puerto Rico, and some parts of Japan. This means you will need a VPN to access your account from outside. For that, we highly recommend NordVPN, our #1 option for streaming NBA online in 2023.

YouTube TV

Includes: ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, TNT, NBA League Pass
Price: from $64.99/month

This is yet another intriguing option for NBA aficionados. YouTube TV includes 85+ channels, and you’ll find ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT among them. On top of that, you get a wide selection of local broadcasts, giving you even more NBA games.

The base plan costs $64.99/month but has the same Hulu discount of $10 for the first three. Additionally, you get unlimited cloud DVR storage and 3 simultaneous streams. At the time of writing this article, YouTube TV had a limited 14-day free trial for new users, which will probably change to one week later in October.

There’s also an option to purchase NBA League Pass for $39.99/month, but that doesn’t seem like a good deal when you can get it standalone for less. Also, contrary to fuboTV, streaming in 4K requires an add-on for a hefty $19.99/month. On the other hand, it also adds offline recordings and unlimited streams.

YouTube TV is available on a range of platforms. Those include the usual suspects – Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and gaming consoles, among others.

As you may have guessed, YouTube TV is available in the US only. Despite that, you can access this streaming platform from anywhere with a solid virtual private network. Our top choice is NordVPN, available now with 68% off.

DirecTV Stream

Includes: ESPN, NBA TV, TNT, NBA League Pass
Price: from $64.99/month

Known for its satellite TV service, DirecTV goes online with Stream. This service gives you ESPN, NBA TV, TNT, and NBA League Pass but not ABC. Moreover, it has the best selection of regional sports networks. However, be prepared to pay extra for the full package.

For $64.99/month, you get the Entertainment package with 65+ channels, including ESPN and TNT. For NBA TV and regional sports networks, you’ll need the Choice option ($84.99/month). Finally, the NBA League Pass add-on channel will cost you the regular $28.99/month.

All plans offer 20 hours of Cloud DVR, but you can upgrade to unlimited for $10/month. There’s a limit of 20 simultaneous streams for your home network plus three devices for out-of-home. Like its competitors, DirecTV Stream works on desktops, phones, tablets, Amazon Fire devices, Chromecast, Roku, and select Samsung TVs. We missed Android TV and game console support, though.

DirecTV is available in the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. If you happen to live somewhere else, you will need a VPN to access this streaming service. In this case, you can’t go wrong with NordVPN, now 68% off.

How to bypass NBA League Pass blackouts

NBA League pass is probably the best way to stream NBA games no matter where you are. Unfortunately, it comes with a severe drawback of blackouts. Therefore, if you reside in the US or Canada, you won’t see all games.

The reasoning behind the blackouts is the broadcasting rights spread across multiple regions and companies. That’s why NBA League Pass doesn’t show any nationally televised games available on ABC, TNT, or ESPN. If that wasn’t enough, some local games like Knicks vs Nets won’t be available if you live in another state than New York.

Luckily, there’s a way to bypass NBA League Pass blackouts for good. All you have to do is get a reliable VPN, such as NordVPN, and connect from any other location where the blackout doesn’t apply. This method works for those who already have the League Pass account and those who are yet to sign up.

How to watch NBA season 2022/23 on your device

Luckily, all NBA streaming services offer plenty of ways to stream season 2022/23 games. Most of them also support simultaneous connections, allowing your friends and family to watch basketball together.

Below are the step-by-step guides for streaming NBA on your device from anywhere in the world. All of them are written for NBA League Pass owners, but in general, they work with other streaming options too.

Watch NBA games online on PC

Getting into NBA action on your desktop device is easy. If you use Windows or macOS, just follow these instructions:

1. Download and install a VPN. We recommend NordVPN, now 68% off.
2. Connect to a server in a country outside of the US.
3. Log in to NBA League Pass and start watching!

Stream NBA games live online on your phone

If you use an Android or iOS device, you should have no problem streaming NBA from anywhere. Here are the instructions:

1. Download and install a VPN. We offer NordVPN, now with a 68% discount.
2. Connect to a server in a country other than the US.
3. Sign in to NBA League Pass and stream NBA!

Watch NBA season 2022/23 on smart TV

Android TV and Apple TV owners, rejoice – your devices are fully supported on most streaming platforms. There are also options for Samsung, LG, Facebook Portal, Sony, Vizio, and other brands. To watch NBA games on your smart TV with a VPN:

1. Download and install a VPN on your router. Our top choice is NordVPN, available with a 68% discount.
2. Make sure your smart TV is connected to the router.
3. Connect to a server in a country other than the US.
4. Launch NBA League Pass and start streaming!

How to watch NBA on your streaming devices

Nowadays, most homes have some sort of streaming device. Some like Amazon Fire TV Stick, while others prefer Roku. Whichever the case, they all can work with a VPN and unblock geo-restricted NBA content in any country.

Once again, the step-by-step guides are written for NBA League Pass, but the same applies to other streaming services.

Stream NBA games on Amazon Fire TV Stick

The majority of VPNs and streaming services fully support Amazon’s products. To watch NBA on Fire TV, you have to:

1. Download and install a VPN app for Amazon Fire TV Stick. Currently, you can get NordVPN with a 68% discount.
2. Connect to a VPN server in a country where the stream isn’t blocked.
3. Log in to your streaming service and watch NBA games!

Watch NBA season 2022/23 on Roku

Roku is another popular streaming device supported by VPNs and streaming platforms. Here’s how to watch NBA on Roku with a VPN:

1. Get a VPN app that supports Roku. At this time, NordVPN is available with 68% off.
2. Install NordVPN on your router.
3. Connect to a VPN server in a location where your streaming service is available.
4. Log in to NBA League Pass and enjoy NBA!

Stream NBA live online on Kodi

Kodi is a video player that gathers its strength from a number of available add-ons. What’s more, there are plenty of good Kodi VPNs to choose from. Therefore, it comes with no surprise that you can watch NBA live on it as well. All you have to do is follow this step-by-step guide:

1. Download a VPN for Kodi. We recommend NordVPN, now 68% off.
2. Choose a VPN server in a country where you can stream NBA live.
3. Log in to your streaming platform of choice and enjoy basketball!

Watch NBA live on Apple TV

Even though there are no VPN apps for Apple TV, you can still use both to unblock NBA games. Most streaming services support Apple TV, meaning that your only concern is installing the VPN on your router. Here’s the complete guide:

1. Download a VPN that supports your router. We recommend NordVPN, now 68% off.
2. Install the VPN on a router and connect Apple TV.
3. Select a VPN server in a region that doesn’t block your streaming platform
4. Sign in to NBA League Pass or another service and watch the world’s best-paid athletes compete!

Stream NBA online from your country

If you’re an avid NBA fan, the best place to be in is the US. Here you can select from many channels, such as ABC or TNT, to watch your favorite team compete. We also shouldn’t forget the regional sports networks which broadcast games unavailable on national TV.

On the other hand, there are plenty of blackouts in the US due to various streaming deals. That’s why you won’t be able to watch all NBA games on one channel or streaming platform. Luckily, these geo-blocks can be circumvented by changing your location with a VPN.

Watch NBA live online in the US

The best option to watch NBA games in the US is NBA League Pass. However, we’re talking about the international version ($31.99/month in the UK) that shows all 1230 games during the regular season plus playoffs and the Finals.

If you buy the US version of NBA League Pass, you’ll be subject to blackouts when ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV are broadcasting.

To watch all NBA games on Global NBA League Pass:

1. Get a reliable VPN provider. Our #1 choice is NordVPN, now with a 68% discount.
2. Connect to a country outside the US.
3. Buy the Global NBA League Pass.
4. Start watching NBA hassle-free.

This is by far the cheapest option and the only one that guarantees full coverage of the 2022/23 season. Other than the price and the available games, Global NBA League Pass is identical to the US version. That includes support for multiple devices, such as Android TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Roku, among others.

Of course, if you already use Sling TV, fuboTV, or Hulu + Live TV, you can watch available NBA live streams as well. Yet you will still need a VPN to stream blackout games.

How to watch NBA games live in Canada

In Canada, NBA games are broadcasted by TSN Direct, Sportsnet NOW, and NBA TV Canada. All of them have apps for streaming online, but the available games differ, requiring to get all free for maximum available season 2022/23 coverage.

For instance, Sportsnet NOW Standard offers select Raptors games and 100+ nationally-televised matchups for $14.99/month. With the Premium package, you get extra 100+ games for $34.99/month. Replay games are available for 24 hours.

TSN Direct offers a monthly pass for $19.99/month. However, there’s no clear information about the number of Raptors and other games available.

Finally, NBA TV Canada is a channel available on multiple streaming services and offers all 82 Toronto Raptors matchups. Additionally, you’ll get about 100 games. The price of NBA TV Canada varies significantly between streaming services, so the best option is to check what each provider offers.

However, if you’re a die-hard NBA fan and want access to every game from anywhere, you’ll need the Global NBA League Pass for $19.99/month. Here’s how to do that:

1. Get a solid VPN provider. We recommend NordVPN, now 68% off.
2. Connect to a country outside the US.
3. Purchase the Global NBA League Pass.
4. Stream the 75th NBA season.

Note: you only need a VPN when traveling in the US and few other countries where NBA League Pass is unavailable.

Watch NBA online from the UK

Even though NBA doesn’t have a huge fanbase in the UK, there are still options for watching the 75th season games live. Here, broadcasting rights belong to Sky Sports, which has a streaming option NOW (£33.99/month). Unfortunately, there’s no information on which NBA games will be available.

With this in mind, we recommend getting a Global NBA League Pass. It will show every matchup, and the price is £24.99/month. You just have to follow this step-by-step guide:

1. Get a VPN service. Our favorite is NordVPN, available with 68% off.
2. Connect to a country outside the US.
3. Purchase the Global NBA League Pass.
4. Stream the 75th NBA season.

Note: you only need a VPN when traveling in the US and few other countries where NBA League Pass is unavailable. Recommend to check our article: how to watch UK TV from anywhere

Stream NBA live from Australia

Australians have multiple options for streaming the 75th NBA season. There’s Kayo Sports, offering 7 games per week for $25.00/month. Additionally, you can go for Foxtel – it has ESPN and over 200 matchups ($59.00/month).

There’s also SBS On Demand with two weekly games for free. However, it’s available in Australia only. Therefore, if you’re traveling, make sure to get NordVPN, the best VPN for watching NBA games in 2023.

Last but not least is the Global NBA League Pass. For $39.99/month, you’ll get to watch every game live online. For this to work:

1. Get a VPN server. We suggest NordVPN, now with a 68% discount.
2. Connect to a country not named the US.
3. Get the Global NBA League Pass.
4. Stream all NBA games from anywhere!

Note: you only need a VPN when traveling in the US and few other countries where NBA League Pass is unavailable.

How to watch NBA games for free in 2023

At the moment, only Australia’s SBS On Demand shows NBA season 2022/23 for free. However, you’ll need a VPN if you’re connecting from abroad to avoid geo-blocking. What’s more, only two games per week will be broadcast.

Other than that, finding a free NBA stream is a daunting task. Most likely, you’ll end up on some shady website that offers illegal broadcasts. In the worst-case scenario, your personal data might get stolen, not to mention malware injection.

Instead, we recommend using the free trials that most streaming services offer. For example, you can enjoy NBA on YouTube for two weeks for free. Then there’s NBA League Pass with a 7-day free trial.

Some options are geo-blocked, meaning you should get a free VPN too. Currently, Atlas VPN is the top choice among the best free VPNs in 2023.

Regular season NBA standings: Top 20 teams

Here are the NBA standings of the 22/23 season. The NBA 23/24 season starts on 24 October, 2023.

NBA Preseason games

How to watch NBA season 2022/23

NBA matches will be available on ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV. What’s more, many streaming services, such as YouTube TV or fuboTV, include some or all of these channels, guaranteeing the best coverage.

However, the problem of blackouts and geo-blocks remains. To combat this, make sure you have a proper VPN service to help you watch NBA from anywhere. We suggest choosing between NordVPN, Surfshark, and PrivateVPN. All three have a 7-day free trial plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.

You may also like to read:
How to watch Champions League
How to watch Sky Sports in USA
How to watch UFC online
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How to watch BBC iPlayer from anywhere
How to watch Fox Sports with a VPN

FAQ

Is it safe to stream NBA games with VPN?

Yes, it is, as long as you’re streaming NBA legally. Even though a VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your traffic, you still might get caught breaking copyright laws.

How to watch NBA games without cable?

There are plenty of options for watching NBA without cable. However, the best option is to get a Global NBA League Pass that shows all games live online. If you’re in the US, a VPN will help you buy the international version.

Can I watch NBA blackout games online?

Absolutely. To watch NBA blackout games online, use a VPN, such as NordVPN, to change your location. This way you can stream matchups in other states that are shown by regional sports networks.