We break down the cheapest way to watch the entire NBA Finals
We break down the cheapest way to watch the entire NBA Finals
If you want to save as much money as possible to catch the entire series, then Sling TV is the best bang for your buck.
The field has officially been set for the 2025 NBA Finals as the Indiana Pacers knocked off the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals while the Oklahoma City Thunder took care of the Minnesota Timberwolves out west. Now the two teams will meet with the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the line. The action is set to start on Thursday, June 5, and every game of the best-of-seven series will be broadcast on ABC in English and on ESPN Deportes in Spanish. If you are looking for the best deal on a live TV streaming service to catch every game of the NBA finals, then I recommend taking advantage 50% off your first month of Sling TV.
How to watch the 2025 NBA Finals
- When: Starting Thursday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m.
- TV: ABC, ESPN Deportes
- Stream: Watch with 50% off the first month of your subscription to Sling TV.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to SurfShark VPN.
Everything you need to know about 2025 NBA Finals
What is the schedule of the 2025 NBA Finals?
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, June 5 | 8:30 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sunday, June 8 | 8 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Wednesday, June 11 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder at Pacers | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Friday, June 13 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder at Pacers | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Monday, June 16 | 8:30 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder* | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Thursday, June 19 | 8:30 p.m. | Thunder at Pacers* | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Sunday, June 22 | 8 p.m. | Pacers at Thunder* | ABC, ESPN Deportes |
*=if necessary
Why do we recommend watching 2025 NBA Finals on Sling TV?
If you are looking for the most cost-effective way to watch the NBA Finals, then Sling TV is undoubtedly the best option. While the streamer does not offer a free trial like some other services do, its monthly rate is far cheaper than that of its competing live TV streamers.
Sling offers two base plans, Sling Orange and Sling Blue, and both cost $46 per month. In the case of the NBA Finals, the streamer’s Orange plan would be the way to go as it carries ESPN3, which simulcasts every sporting event on ABC. If you also happen to be a NHL fan, this will also give you access to TNT, which will be covering every game of the Stanley Cup Finals.
However, if you live in one of the largest markets in the country, and want to flesh out your channel lineup with more local networks, you can go with Sling Blue. ABC is only offered in eight markets around the country, but if you are in one of them, you also likely will be able to get Fox and NBC affiliates as well. TNT is also available on Sling Blue for you hockey hooligans.
Sling ABC Markets
| ABC market | Channel call sign |
|---|---|
| Chicago | WLS |
| Fresno | KFSN |
| Houston | KTRK |
| Los Angeles | KABC |
| New York | WABC |
| Philadelphia | WPVI |
| Raleigh-Durham | WTVD |
| San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose | KGO |
Both Sling Orange and Sling Blue normally cost $46 per month, but the streamer’s current special deal allows new subscribers to save 50% off that price, lowering the cost to just $23 for their first month of service. If you want to combine both base packages, it will cost you just $30.50 for the first month, and $61 after that.
It’s a great way to make sure you have access to all games from the NBA Finals (and the Stanley Cup Finals) at an incredibly affordable price.
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
Can you watch 2025 NBA Finals for free?
Unfortunately, there is no service that is guaranteed to let you watch the 2025 NBA Finals in their entirety for free. However, there are several that will allow you to watch some games with a free trial.
If you are looking to just watch Game 1, I’d recommend going with DIRECTV’s MySports Genre Pack. This sports-focused skinny bundle from the satellite and streaming giant comes with a five-day free trial for all new subscribers, and once the trial ends, it starts at $70 per month. The MySports Pack includes ABC for many subscribers, and also has TNT for hockey fans as well.
Hulu + Live TV is another great option if you are looking for a way to stream the first game of the series for free. The service offers a three-day free trial for all new subscribers, including access to the complete Disney Bundle. That means that during your free period, you will also be able to watch all of Hulu’s on-demand programming, as well as everything on Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional charge. After the trial expires, Hulu + Live TV starts at $83 per month.
The sports-focused streaming series Fubo also offers a free trial, but it’s a little less reliable than DIRECTV and Hulu. Fubo offers a trial of between one and seven days, depending on a number of factors. Unfortunately, you don’t always know how long of a free period you will receive until you have gone through the sign-up process. Once the trial ends, your plan will start at $85 per month, though most customers will see a regional sports fee tacked onto that price as well.
Finally, YouTube TV offers a trial between two and 14 days. Like Fubo, YouTube TV’s trial can vary drastically based on what time of month you subscribe and other factors. Once the trial expires, your monthly fee will begin at $83 per month.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ABC | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN Deportes | + $4 | + $20 | + $0 | - | - | - | + $6 | - | - | |
How to watch 2025 NBA Finals from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the Finals as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home, even when you’re not, ensuring you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Remember that you will still need to be subscribed to a live TV streaming service like Sling TV to stream the series with a VPN.
SurfShark is one of the best providers around at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get SurfShark’s protection for as little as $2.19 per month. All plans include a secure VPN, ad blocker, and cookie pop-up blocker, so you will be covered from every angle. And since SurfShark’s protection is available on unlimited devices, you won’t have to pick and choose which ones to prioritize. Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While SurfShark is our recommendation for the best value VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Budget Option: NordVPN | Starting at $3.39 per month
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available