How to Stream NBA Games Without Cable (2026-27)
No single service has every NBA game; Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM reach the most, and Peacock and Prime Video exclusives need those apps.
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Who airs what: NBA packages in 2026-27
Game counts from the NBA's official how-to-watch page. TNT and TBS no longer carry NBA games.
| Game window / package | Network | Streaming access | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 regular-season games, Christmas slate, NBA Finals, 2027 West Finals | ESPN / ABC | ESPN app (ESPN Unlimited), YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling Orange, Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM | ABC games also in the ESPN app; Disney+ has occasional simulcasts only |
| 100 games: Monday Peacock exclusives, Tuesday NBC, Sunday Night Basketball after the NFL season, MLK and Presidents' Day, All-Star Weekend | NBC / Peacock | Peacock (all 100); NBC games on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, Sling Blue (select markets) | Monday games are Peacock-only |
| 66 games (Thu, Fri, Sat), NBA Cup knockouts, all six Play-In games, 2027 East Finals | Prime Video | Prime Video only | Not on any live TV service |
| NBA TV national games | NBA TV | YouTube TV, Sling Sports Extra, Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM (Choice and MySports) | 2026-27 NBA TV schedule not yet announced; Hulu + Live TV unconfirmed |
| Out-of-market games not on national TV | NBA League Pass | YouTube TV add-on, Prime Video add-on, NBA app | Price unconfirmed; blacks out in-market and national games |
| Local games | FanDuel Sports Networks, NBC Sports RSNs, team apps | Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM (Choice and up); select markets on YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV; FanDuel via Prime Video Channels in select markets | Not on Sling TV; varies by market |
Source: docs/research/channel-sports-availability.md and nba.com, verified Oct 12, 2026.
Services that carry NBA games, ranked
Ordered by how many packages each service reaches, then by starting price. Every service is "partial" because rights are split across at least three companies.
-
Built for fans who need their regional sports network
- Most regional sports networks of any streamer
- Up to 10 streams, unlimited DVR, 4K events
- Free trial usually offered
No TNT or TBS; regional sports fee extra
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- 4K
- Free Trial
From$55.99/moSports tier; Pro $88.99 plus regional sports fee
Best for regional sports networks and soccer
Editorial scoreGood6.7/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
Nearly every channel, at a cable-like price
- Deepest channel lineup, up to 185+
- Regional sports plus ESPN and TNT
- 5-day free trial, unlimited at-home streams
Highest price; regional sports fee up to $19.99
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- Free Trial
- No Contract
From$74.99/moMySports genre pack; ENTERTAINMENT $89.99
Best cable-like channel lineup
Editorial scoreGood6.7/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
The best all-around cable replacement
- 100+ channels incl. ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN
- Unlimited cloud DVR, 3 streams
- Intro offer: $59.99/mo for 2 months
$82.99/mo after the intro period
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- Free Trial
- No Contract
From$82.99/moBase Plan; promo $59.99 for 2 months for new members
Best live TV overall
Editorial scoreExcellent8.0/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
Live TV plus three on-demand libraries in one plan
- 95+ live channels with locals, ESPN, TNT
- Includes Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Select
- Unlimited cloud DVR
2 streams unless you add $9.99/mo
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- On-Demand
- No Contract
From$99.99/moWith ads, rate effective Oct 21, 2026; $109.99 Premium
Best bundle: live TV plus Disney+ and ESPN
Editorial scoreVery good7.4/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
Live TV for less, if you can skip CBS
- Lowest-priced major live TV service
- Orange: ESPN, TNT; Blue: FS1, NFL Network
- No contract; cheap add-on packs
No CBS; 1 stream on Orange; 50-hour DVR
- Live TV
- Sports
- DVR
- No Contract
From$45.99/moOrange or Blue; $60.99 for both
Best budget live TV
Editorial scoreVery good7.1/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
NFL, NBA and Premier League without a cable bundle
- Sunday Night Football and NBA on NBC
- Most Premier League matches
- Annual plans on every tier
Select tier has no live sports
- Sports
- On-Demand
- No Contract
- Ad Plan
From$8.99/moSelect tier (no sports); Premium $12.99
Best value for NFL, NBA, and Premier League
Editorial scoreVery good7.7/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
-
A strong bonus if you already pay for Prime
- Included with Amazon Prime membership
- Thursday Night Football and NBA games
- 30-day Prime trial for new members
Ad-free and 4K need the $4.99 Ultra add-on
- On-Demand
- Sports
- Free Trial
- No Contract
- Ad Plan
From$8.99/moPrime Video alone; included with $14.99 Prime
Best if you already pay for Prime
Editorial scoreVery good7.3/10Verified Oct 12, 2026
Key facts
- Rights holders: ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, Prime Video, NBA TV; TNT is out.
- Peacock Monday games and all Prime Video games are streaming-only.
- League Pass blacks out in-market and nationally televised games.
- Local games need an RSN: Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM (Choice and up).
- Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM add a regional sports fee.
- Trials: DIRECTV STREAM 5 days; Fubo usually 5 to 7; YouTube TV varies; Hulu + Live TV short, sometimes; Amazon Prime 30 days (new members); none for Peacock or Sling.
NBA broadcast rights and viewing restrictions
- The 11-year deals that began in 2025-26 split national games three ways: ESPN/ABC (Finals, alternating conference finals, the West in 2027), NBC (100 games and All-Star Weekend), Prime Video (66 games, NBA Cup knockouts, every Play-In game).
- TNT and TBS dropped out after 2024-25; older guides listing TNT are out of date.
- One live TV subscription no longer covers the national schedule; plan on at least two subscriptions for the playoffs (the 2027 East Finals are on Prime Video).
- RSNs: Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM in their markets; YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV in limited markets (mainly NBC Sports RSNs); none on Sling. Several teams sell direct streams; FanDuel Sports Network is on Prime Video Channels in select markets.
Live TV bundles vs. streaming-only subscriptions
- Live TV: ESPN, ABC, NBC in one app with DVR; YouTube TV, Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM add NBA TV. Hulu + Live TV's NBA TV carriage is unconfirmed.
- Sling needs Orange (ESPN), Blue (NBC, select markets), and Sports Extra (NBA TV), so the low base price grows quickly.
- Peacock Premium carries all 100 NBC games, a complete NBC substitute for the NBA. Prime Video is the only way to its 66 games.
- ESPN Unlimited plus Peacock plus Prime Video covers the national schedule with no live TV bundle (no NBA TV or local games). See live TV vs. on-demand.
Local, out-of-market, and blackout rules
- League Pass: out-of-market games only; blacks out your local team and national games. Sold through the NBA app, YouTube TV, and Prime Video (the league's primary third-party distributor). 2026-27 price unconfirmed. In-market fans need the RSN or team stream instead.
- Fubo carries FanDuel Sports Networks and NBC Sports RSNs (restored June 2026) with a fee on Pro. DIRECTV STREAM carries RSNs on Choice and up (not MySports) with a fee. YouTube TV has NBC Sports RSNs only. Hulu + Live TV is limited. Sling has none.
- Fee language for Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM conflicted across sources; confirm the amount with the provider.
- Peacock Monday games are not on any live TV service, even those with NBC.
Pricing comparison
Lowest recurring monthly price, verified Oct 12, 2026. DIRECTV STREAM's NBA TV and RSNs need Choice; Fubo's RSNs carry a fee.
| Service | Starting price | NBA coverage from our research |
|---|---|---|
| Fubo | $55.99/mo | ESPN, ABC, NBC, NBA TV, RSNs; no Peacock or Prime exclusives |
| DIRECTV STREAM | $74.99/mo | ESPN, ABC, NBC, NBA TV (Choice), RSNs (Choice and up) |
| YouTube TV | $82.99/mo | ESPN, ABC, NBC, NBA TV; League Pass add-on; NBC Sports RSNs only |
| Hulu + Live TV | $99.99/mo | ESPN, ABC, NBC; NBA TV unconfirmed |
| Sling TV | $45.99/mo | ESPN (Orange), NBC select markets (Blue), NBA TV via Sports Extra |
| Peacock | $8.99/mo | All 100 NBC and Peacock games (Premium) |
| Prime Video | $8.99/mo | 66 games, NBA Cup knockouts, Play-In, 2027 East Finals; League Pass add-on |
Sort by price on the comparison table; total a multi-service plan with the household cost guide.
Compatible devices
- Every service runs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Samsung and LG TVs, iOS, Android, and the web.
- Sling TV, Fubo, and DIRECTV STREAM lack a PlayStation app; DIRECTV STREAM also lacks Xbox. Prime Video and Peacock are on consoles.
- Full matrix: device compatibility.
Provider comparisons for NBA viewers
- Fubo: most RSNs; up to ten home streams; select 4K. Cons: regional sports fee; no TNT or TBS; plan names changed repeatedly. Review.
- DIRECTV STREAM: most RSNs plus ESPN and NBA TV; unlimited home streams and DVR; five-day trial. Cons: most expensive, fee on Choice and up; prices vary by ZIP. Review.
- YouTube TV: ESPN, ABC, NBC, NBA TV in the base plan; unlimited DVR; three streams; League Pass add-on. Cons: few RSNs; $82.99/mo after intro. Review.
- Hulu + Live TV: live TV plus Hulu, Disney+, ESPN Select; unlimited DVR. Cons: two streams; expensive; NBA TV unconfirmed. Review.
- Sling TV: lowest base price; ESPN on Orange. Cons: one stream on Orange; NBC select markets; NBA TV add-on; no RSNs. Review.
- Peacock and Prime Video: Peacock is the cheapest way to NBC's 100 games and the only way to Monday exclusives; live events carry ads even on Premium Plus. Prime Video comes with Prime; ads are on by default. Reviews: Peacock, Prime Video.
NBA streaming FAQ
Is the NBA still on TNT?
No. The Turner deal ended after 2024-25; NBC, Peacock, and Prime Video took over those games.
Which service has the most NBA games?
No single one. YouTube TV, Fubo, and DIRECTV STREAM reach the most national games; Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM adds local RSN games. Peacock and Prime Video exclusives still need those apps.
Can I watch my local team with League Pass?
No. League Pass blacks out in-market and national games; use the RSN, the team's service, or a live TV provider that carries the RSN.
Where are the NBA Finals in 2027?
On ABC (live TV services and the ESPN app). The 2027 East Finals are on Prime Video; the West Finals on ESPN and ABC.
Does Hulu + Live TV have NBA TV?
Unconfirmed as of Oct 12, 2026; the channel was absent from a March 2026 lineup list. Confirm with the provider.
Methodology and sources
Rights facts come from docs/research/channel-sports-availability.md and carriage.json, verified Oct 12, 2026; prices render from our dated evidence store. Sources: nba.com (how to watch 2026-27), pr.nba.com (schedule release), sportsvideo.org (year-two national slates), archive.506sports.com (deal structure), cordcuttersnews.com (YouTube TV lineup), cloudwards.net (Hulu + Live TV lineup), tvguide.com (Sling lineup), streamtvinsider.com (Sling adds NBA TV), apps.apple.com (Fubo channel listing), compareinternethub.com and agoodmovietowatch.com (DIRECTV STREAM and MySports), thedesk.net (FanDuel Sports Network on Prime Video), and cabletv.com (Fubo RSNs). Sports rights change; claims on this page expire on January 10, 2027 and are re-verified before republishing. Ordering follows How We Rank with coverage breadth applied first.
We are an independent publisher, not affiliated with the NBA, any network, or any streaming service. Editorial policy.
We may earn commissions from providers featured here. Compensation can affect placement. Affiliate Disclosure