Roundball fans, rejoice! The 2023 NBA playoffs begin in earnest on Saturday, April 15, and basketball fans everywhere are likely getting ready to say goodbye to their loved ones and disappear into the TV room so they can watch every game.
But will there be any contests available on HBO Max? Discerning NBA fans know that the same company owns both TNT, which shows hundreds of NBA regular season games every year, and HBO Max, so there naturally ought to be some NBA playoff games on the service, right?
Unfortunately this is not the case. The only places to watch NBA playoff games in 2023 are ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV, so you’ll need a live TV streaming service if you want to see every game of every series. Check below on which we think might be the right choice for you!
Best Ways to Stream 2023 NBA Playoffs
Top Pick: DIRECTV STREAM
- Carries ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV
- Five-day free trial
- More major cable channels than any other service
Budget Pick: Sling Orange
- Carries ESPN, TNT, free access to NBA TV, simultaneous streams of ABC games on ESPN3
- Currently half off normal monthly price
How to Stream 2023 NBA Playoffs
DIRECTV STREAM, Sling TV and YouTube TV are the three live TV streaming services that carry ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV. If you want to see every contest of this year’s NBA postseason, you’ll need to grab a subscription to one of these three platforms.
We’ll break down the pros and cons of each choice below, and give our top recommendation, so keep scrolling!
| DTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Get 50% OFF | Sign Up | |||
| $86.99 | $94.99 | $82.99 | $28 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| NBA TV | + $15 | + $8 | - | - | + $11 | + $11 | ✓ | |
| TNT | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Top Pick For Watching Every Game of 2023 NBA Playoffs: DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is the best way to stream every playoff game of the NBA postseason in 2023. You’ll need a Choice plan to get NBA TV, which starts at $99.99 per month. That’s the normal price, but new users can save $10 off per month for each of their first three months now thanks to a special promo. DIRECTV STREAM also offers all new customers a five-day free trial.
If you choose to stick with DIRECTV STREAM after the NBA playoffs are over, you’ll get access to a bigger selection of major cable channels than any other live TV service offers. This all-around streamer has some of the best bang for your buck on the market.
Budget Pick for Watching Every Game of 2023 NBA Playoffs: Sling Orange
Speaking of bucks, if you’re more interested in saving a few than in watching more live TV than you can shake a stick at, Sling TV could be right up your alley. Sling’s Orange will grant you access to ESPN and TNT, but what about NBA TV and ABC?
The ABC side of that equation can be solved by the fact that the NBA will simulcast all playoff games appearing on ABC on ESPN3, which Sling Orange carries. Sling is also repeating a special offer from the 2022 season, which grants all users free access to NBA TV while that channel is carrying playoff games.
Now what about price? New Sling customers get 50% off their first month for a limited time. So instead of paying $40 to watch the first month of the NBA playoffs on Sling Orange, it’ll only run you $20.
Last Alternative: YouTube TV
But wait… what about YouTube TV? After all, that service has all the channels you’ll need to watch the NBA playoffs this year, and at $72.99 per month it’s cheaper than DIRECTV STREAM. Why is it last?
The simple answer is you just won’t get as much out of a YouTube TV subscription. There’s no free trial that’s the same for all users, and there’s fewer channel options available overall. Sports fans will want to note the current absence of MLB Network on YouTube TV, which is a definite bummer as baseball season gets underway.