The 2023 NBA playoffs start Saturday, April 15, which means there’s not much time left to get your watching arrangements sorted out if you want to see each game of the postseason!
Basketball fans can certainly be forgiven for wondering if their Paramount+ subscription will include any games this year. After all, Paramount+ Premium users got to watch every 2023 NCAA March Madness game on CBS thanks to a 24/7 livestream of that channel on the platform.
But CBS won’t carry any NBA playoff games this year, so Paramount+ won’t have them either. To find them, you’ll need a live TV service that carries ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV, but the good news is you have several choices!
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
Cord cutters who want to see every game of this year’s NBA postseason have three live TV streaming services to choose from that carry ESPN, ABC, TNT and NBA TV. DIRECTV STREAM, Sling TV and YouTube TV are the three services that will allow you to see every NBA playoff game.
Keep scrolling to see what order we put them in, and find the right live TV partner for your NBA playoff experience!
| DTV STREAM | DTV Internet | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Get $100 Back | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Get 50% OFF | Sign Up | |||
| $86.99 | $69.99 | $94.99 | $82.99 | $28 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| ABC | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| NBA TV | + $15 | + $15 | + $8 | - | - | + $11 | + $11 | ✓ | |
| TNT | ✓ | + $0 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Top Pick For Watching Every Game of 2023 NBA Playoffs: DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is the best choice for watching every NBA playoff game of the season in our eyes. The Choice plan starting at $99.99 is the cheapest way to get NBA TV, so that’s where you’ll start after a five-day free trial. The good news is, right now new customers can get $30 off their subscription, $10 per month for their first three months.
What really makes DIRECTV STREAM an excellent value is the amount of content that comes with it. The service has more major sports and entertainment channels than any other on the market, so if you keep your DIRECTV STREAM plan you’ll likely be highly satisfied.
Budget Pick for Watching Every Game of 2023 NBA Playoffs: Sling Orange
Sling TV is the best choice for fans who want to save a bit on their NBA playoff experience this year. Sling Orange carries ESPN and TNT, so you’re already halfway to comprehensive NBA postseason coverage by signing up.
No need to fret about the other two channels you’ll need, either. Sling will offer all users free access to NBA TV for playoff games it will host, and ESPN3 (which is also on Sling Orange) will simulcast all NBA playoff games appearing on ABC in 2023.
The price is right for this service, too. New users of Sling can save 50% off their first month of the service for a limited time. That means for a whole month, you can watch every NBA playoff game you want for just $20 instead of $40.
Last Alternative: YouTube TV
YouTube TV brings up the final spot on our list of services you can use to watch all NBA playoff games this year. There’s nothing inherently wrong with YouTube TV, it just can’t beat out our other listed choices.
That’s because it’s much more expensive than Sling TV, promotional price or not. At $72.99 per month you can save with this service over DIRECTV STREAM, but not all YouTube TV customers get a free trial, and there’s nowhere near the volume of entertainment and sports on the service that DIRECTV STREAM can offer.