Watch NBA live streams on NBA League Pass 2023

The 2022-23 NBA season is officially underway, and basketball fans are paying close attention to everything from the Golden State Warriors‘ title defense to the dysfunctional (but still incredibly talented) Brooklyn Nets. Whether you’re looking to find the best way to watch the NBA using NBA League Pass, or test cord-cutting services that include NBA action, you can do it all with the help of a VPN.

How to stream the NBA with a VPN

You can stream the NBA in just a few simple steps:

1. Get ExpressVPN.
2. Connect to a server location in the U.S.
3. Clear browsing data and cookies.
4. Open your NBA League Pass or choose your preferred streaming platform to watch ABC or ESPN.
5. Tune in and enjoy!

Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, be sure to use the ExpressVPN browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.

How to stream the NBA with League Pass

If you want to check out the biggest showcase game the NBA has to offer, there isn’t a better option than NBA League Pass. You can enjoy games without blackouts by using the international version of the service and it comes with a strong seven-day free trial.

NBA League Pass

Price: From 17 USD/season

Want to enjoy NBA games with the privacy and security of a VPN? NBA League Pass is your best option.

NBA game blackouts: International League Pass vs. U.S. League Pass

What’s the difference between watching NBA League Pass in Germany, Australia, Canada, or the U.S.? League Pass is available both inside and outside the States. However, there are key differences every fan needs to know.

The U.S. League Pass offers live games and full-game replays for all teams. However, blackouts apply. When a team is playing, that game will be “blacked out” on the U.S. League Pass for the team’s home market. Nationally broadcast games on ESPN, ABC, TNT, and NBA TV—in other words, most of the playoffs—will also be blacked out. (All blacked-out games are available three days after broadcast. If you purchased the 3-Game Choice package, nationally telecast games will be available for purchase three hours after they have aired. Locally telecast games will be available for purchase three days after they air.)

Want to tune in without having to worry about blackouts? The International League Pass also offers live games for all teams, but without a single blackout!

That’s because blackouts are put in place to protect local broadcasters’ viewership while preserving users’ ability to watch out-of-market games. If you’re streaming from a country outside the United States or Canada, every game is effectively “out-of-market,” meaning that there are no blackouts to worry about. If you only want to watch the games for a single team, select the “Team Choice” option to save some money!

How to cancel NBA League Pass

If you feel like you’re not getting value out of your subscription, cancelling it is not an arduous process. There’s actually a comprehensive guide on how to cancel. You should also be aware that the service auto-renews monthly—if you’re on a monthly subscription—or prior to the season if you’ve purchased an annual subscription. You can opt out of auto-renewals and you will be notified by email prior to getting auto-renewed for a full season.

Stream the NBA using services with free trials

There are a number of cord-cutting services available that should cover your needs. They can be slightly pricey, but most offer free trials so you have ample opportunity to see if they’re worth it for you.

SlingTV

Price: 35 USD/month and up
Channels: ABC, ESPN, TNT

SlingTV includes channels that carry NBA games, such as ESPN, TNT, and ESPN3 (NBA on ABC). To get all of these channels, you’ll need to get Sling Orange as well as Sling Blue (a combined package costs 50 USD).

Note: You will need a U.S. credit card or PayPal in order to subscribe.

YouTube TV

Price: 65 USD/month and up
Channels: ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBA TV

YouTube TV offers over 70 local channels, including ABC. A subscription costs 65 USD/month, and doesn’t require a U.S. billing address (though you may need to provide a U.S. ZIP code based on your preferred viewing area). The service includes a variety of sports channels and a 5-day free trial.

DirecTV Stream

Price: 70 USD/month and up
Channels: ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, TNT

DirecTV Stream is on the pricier side but if you prefer a cord-cutting service over an additional streaming app it’s a great option as the “Choice” package (80 USD/month) includes many regional sports networks. DirecTV offers a 5-day free trial.

Hulu+Live TV

Price: 70 USD/month and up
Channels: ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, TNT

Hulu+Live TV carries all the channels broadcasting national NBA games, as well as many regional sports networks. The monthly rate also includes subscriptions to Disney+ and ESPN. Note that Hulu does not offer a free trial, however, and requires both a U.S. ZIP code and credit card billing address.

FuboTV

Price: 70 USD/month
Channels: ESPN, ABC, NBA TV

FuboTV is a fantastic, if pricey, option for streaming NBA games, but do note that Fubo does not include TNT, which airs both regular season and playoff games. A 7-day free trial is available for those who don’t want to commit to a subscription.

2023 NBA Finals odds

Will Stephen Curry and the Warriors repeat as champions? Here are the latest 2023 NBA Finals odds according to the FanDuel Sportsbook.

NBA Games of the Week

From nationally televised Thursday night matchups to intriguing late-night showdowns, we’ve got you covered with the best NBA games to watch each week. Note that you can stream all these games using the international version of NBA League Pass. 

Kings vs. Grizzlies – Monday, January 23, 10:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 a.m. GMT: Pop quiz! When did the Grizzlies and Kings last make the NBA Playoffs in the same year? That would be the 2005-06 campaign, which also marks the last time Sacramento reached the postseason. Look for that streak to end this spring, as both teams currently reside atop the Western Conference. The longtime lowly Kings even entered the week in third place, one game ahead of the fading New Orleans Pelicans. Things have an opportunity to stay interesting in Sacramento on Monday night, and NBA TV will have full coverage for those outside of the Memphis and Sacramento markets.

Heat vs. Celtics – Tuesday, January 24, 7:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 a.m. GMT: Welcome to Rivals Week, the NBA’s latest attempt at making us care about the regular season. Jimmy Butler and the Heat look to knock off the first-place Celtics in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. These two split a two-game set in Boston earlier this season, and matchups between these two teams are always entertaining. TNT will have full coverage.

Lakers vs. Clippers – Tuesday, January 24, 10 p.m. ET / 3 a.m. GMT: The latest battle in the Battle of Los Angeles is here, and this rivalry (oh, that’s why it’s called Rivals Week!) has been one-sided for a couple of seasons now. The Clippers have won nine straight over the Lakers dating back to December 2020, and neither matchup this season was particularly close. For as bad as the Purple and Yellow have been this season, at least Lakers star LeBron James is only 224 points shy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time points record. Make sure to watch the action on TNT.

76ers vs. Nuggets – Saturday, January 28, 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. ET: If you like big men, Saturday afternoon has the perfect game for you. Barring any load management shenanigans, Nuggets star and two-time defending MVP Nikola Jokić will go head-to-head with the 76ers’ Joel Embiid, who is building his own extensive MVP case this season. Are we destined to see these two superstars duel in the NBA Finals come June? If so, get an early sight of what’s to come on ABC.

Nets vs. Knicks – Saturday, January 28, 5:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 p.m. GMT: The Battle of the Boroughs is back on—and remember, calling it the Subway Series is among the worst mistakes any basketball fan can make right now. Kyrie Irving and the Nets remain trendy favorites to win the NBA Finals, while Julius Randle and the Knicks have reasserted themselves as dark horse candidates to make a title run. There’s winning basketball in New York again, and we’re amped to see how this one plays out! ABC will have full coverage.

LeBron James scoring tracker

As of January 26, 2023, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is currently 117 career points from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time scoring leader. James’ next game is against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, January 30.

All about the 2023 NBA All-Star Game

The 2023 All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, February 19. Here’s everything you need to know about All-Star Weekend.

When is the 2023 NBA All-Star Game?

The 2023 NBA All-Star Game is the main event of All-Star Weekend, a three-day stretch in mid-February. The weekend begins with the All-Star Celebrity Game and Rising Stars Game on Friday, February 17. The Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest, and Slam Dunk Contest are all scheduled for Saturday, February 18. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the league’s top players hit the court on Sunday, February 19.

Where is the 2023 NBA All-Star Game?

Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, will host the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Utah last hosted the All-Star Game in 1993, when Jazz stars and hometown favorites Karl Malone and John Stockton led the West to a 135-132 victory over Michael Jordan and the East.

Who is playing in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game?

The NBA announced the All-Star starters on Thursday, January 26. Stay tuned for the reserves, who will be announced ahead of the game itself!

Eastern Conference All-Star selections

Western Conference All-Star selections

2022 NBA early season storylines

The 2022-23 NBA season features no shortage of intriguing storylines. Here’s what we’ll be clued on during the league’s 76th campaign:

A further return to normalcy: In large part because of a complete 82-game season and packed crowds, the 2021-22 NBA season took a significant step in returning to pre-pandemic standards. The 2022-23 campaign is scheduled to include international games and, barring any unexpected setbacks, no instances of unvaccinated players being barred from participating in games. That’s good news for Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving, who has a 36.5 million USD salary this year. And speaking of Irving…

Kyrie, KD, and the dysfunctional Nets: The Nets are running it back with the duo of Irving and Kevin Durant, each of whom were linked to trades throughout the offseason. Former Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons also finally made his debut in October, months after arriving in a trade for James Harden. If all three stay on the court and out of further drama, the Nets have the potential to be a top-3 team in the Eastern Conference. 

The Boston Celtics’ drama: Few would have guessed the Celtics would reach the postseason, much less the NBA Finals, when the 17-time champions had an 18-21 record in January 2022. Shows what we knew. However, the Celts’ 2023 championship hopes took a significant hit in September, when the team suspended head coach Ime Udoka for the season for violating team rules. Boston is also expected to open the new year without talented big man Robert Williams as he recovers from knee surgery. What’s next for the Celtics?

LeBron’s last ride? (No, probably not): LeBron James will turn 38 years old in December, which is absolutely frightening to read. Although oddsmakers are high on the Los Angeles Lakers’ chances of winning a second title in four years, we don’t see it. James and All-Star big man Anthony Davis have repeatedly struggled with injuries in recent years, and veteran point guard Russell Westbrook remains on the trade block. We’ll see if The King makes it long enough to play alongside his son, Bronny, in 2024.

Old faces, new places: For once, NBA free agency was fairly boring. Instead, the most significant names moved via trades. Longtime Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert will suit up for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season; his former teammate, Donovan Mitchell, joined the Cleveland Cavaliers. Elsewhere in the Western Conference, five-time All-Star point guard John Wall is now on the Los Angeles Clippers.

Other professional basketball leagues

Basketball fans had no shortage of alternative leagues to watch this summer. Here’s our guide on how to get your basketball fix throughout the NBA offseason:

NBA Summer League

What to know: All 30 teams will field rosters primarily consisting of rookies, young players, and veterans trying to earn a regular-season spot during an 11-day, 75-game competition this summer. The official NBA 2K23 Summer League will mostly take place in Las Vegas, with some July games also happening in San Francisco and Salt Lake City.

Our favorite way to watch with a VPN: All 75 Summer League games will air live on ESPN Networks or NBA TV. The international version of NBA League Pass is expected to carry every game this summer.

The Basketball Tournament (TBT)

What to know: Although the NBA Summer League is primarily focused around younger players, The Basketball Tournament provides a flashback to stars of old. Former college basketball and NBA standouts will represent their alma maters in a 64-team tournament in Dayton, Ohio. The winning team will earn a 1 million USD cash prize.

Notable names expected to participate in the 2022 TBT include former BYU guard and National Player of the Year Jimmer Fredette (The Money Team), ex-Syracuse standout Tyler Ennis (Boeheim’s Army), and longtime NBA veteran C.J. Miles (Sideline Cancer). Amen and Ausar Thompson, two projected 2023 lottery picks, are expected to play for Team Overtime.

Our favorite way to watch with a VPN: Games will air on ESPN starting with the tip-off on July 16 and culminating with the championship game on Monday, July 25. SlingTV offers ESPN at an affordable rate.

BIG3

What to know: Ice Cube’s popular 3-on-3 pro basketball league is back for another year. Former Brooklyn Nets shooting guard and seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson dropped 30 points in the 2022 opener and still looks sharp despite turning 41 this summer. Other notable names include former Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley, high-flying dunker Gerald Green, and ex-Orlando Magic big man Rashard Lewis. Teams will play an eight-week regular season, a two-week postseason, and end the year with an All-Star Weekend trip to the Bahamas from September 3-4.

Our favorite way to watch with a VPN: Although BIG3 will stream some games on its official YouTube channel, other games will air on CBS, Paramount+, and DAZN. Make sure to check the league’s comprehensive schedule.

Key dates for the 2022-2023 NBA season

ExpressVPN is a VPN service not intended to be used as a means of copyright circumvention. Please read the ExpressVPN Terms of Service and your content provider’s Terms of Use for more details.

Stream New Shows & Movies

Get ExpressVPN

See our top picks for what to stream this month