With the 2025-26 NBA season tipping off, there are a lot of heated matchups all season long with top superstars — including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama and others.
The NBA season starts on Tuesday, Oct. 21, while the 82-game regular season ends on Sunday, Apr. 12, 2025. Opening day feature two games: The Houston Rockets take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with a start time of 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET, and then the Golden State Warriors battle Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles starting at 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.
Both games air on NBC and livestream on Peacock. This is the first time NBA games broadcast on NBC since 2002.
At a Glance: Watch the 2025-26 NBA Season Online
- When: Oct. 21 to Apr 12, 2026
- TV channels: ESPN, ABC, NBC and NBA TV
- Stream online: DirecTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Fubo, Peacock, Prime Video, NBA League Pass
Keep reading to find out how to watch the NBA regular season games, as well as how to find tickets to games. In the meantime, check out the 2025-26 NBA games schedule here.
How to Stream 2025-26 NBA Games Without Cable
While NBA games broadcast on TV across ESPN, ABC, NBC and NBA TV, games can also be streamed on internet-based streaming cable services, like DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV, some of which even offer free trials.
Note that all games per team during the 2025-26 NBA season are available across multiple networks, regional networks, streaming services and platforms. The only service that carries every game is NBA League Pass; learn more about the network here.
Ahead, find out how to watch the NBA games with and without a cable subscription.
DirecTV
Watch the 2025-26 NBA games with DirecTV, which carries ESPN, ABC, NBC and NBA TV, along with more than 90 other channels — such as CBS, CBS Sports Network, ION Television, NBC, Fox, AMC, Bravo, CNBC, Disney Channel and others.
Sports fans can watch NBA games for free with the cable streamer’s five-day trial. Afterwards, you can either cancel the service or keep watching, with prices starting at $49.99 for the first month of service ($89.99 per month afterward) for the entry-level Entertainment package with the streamer’s current deals.
Fubo
To watch NBA games on ESPN, ABC, NBC and NBA TV is through Fubo. The streaming service starts at $54.99 for the first month ($84.99 per month afterward) for more than 240 channels with the streamer’s current deals. You can also record over 1,000 hours of TV shows, movies, games and more. If you want to watch some of the NBA season live online free, the online TV streaming service offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
Hulu + Live TV
To watch ESPN, ABC and NBC (but no NBA TV) online, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV is fantastic option. The streaming service includes Disney+, ESPN+ and access to more than 90 live channels — like CBS Sports Network, BET, CNN, Food Network and more — starting at $64.99 per month for the first three months for new or returning subscribers. The deal runs through Wednesday, Nov. 5; after that, subscriptions auto-renew starting at $82.99 per month.
In addition to live cable, Hulu + Live TV lets subscribers watch originals from Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. It includes unlimited cloud DVR, too. Hulu also offers a three-day free trial.
Sling
Sling is one of the most affordable options for new live TV streaming subscribers who want to watch NBA games on ESPN, ABC (and ESPN3) and NBC with the Orange + Blue plan, which is up to 50 percent off the first month for eligible new subscribers. Meanwhile, NBA TV is available through Sling’s Sports Extra package for an additional $11 per month. The package also includes NHL Network, MLB Network, ESPNU and more.
Please note: Prices and channel availability depend on your local TV market.
Peacock
For the first time since 2002, the NBA returns to NBC. Peacock is the home of the NBA on NBC online. Not a Peacock subscriber? The streamer has an ad-free Peacock Premium package for $10.99 monthly (or $109.99 yearly). Otherwise, the ad-supported plan is $16.99 monthly (or $169.99 yearly). Aside from NBA games, you’ll get access to originals such as Those About To Die, Love Island USA, The Traitors, Ted and others; hit movies like Back to Black, Abigail, Oppenheimer, Lisa Frankenstein and others; live sports and entertainment from NBC Sports; and more than 50 “always-on” streaming channels.
Related: The Best Peacock Streaming Deals
Prime Video
For the 2025-26 NBA season, Prime Video features marquee games throughout the season. New subscribers can get a free 30-day trial for Prime Video; after that, the standalone streaming service auto-renews at $8.99 per month. Another way to watch the game for free is with a membership to Amazon Prime, which includes access to Prime Video and costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year — a nearly 25 percent savings compared to paying the regular monthly price.
Amazon Prime includes access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Music Prime, as well as fast free shipping on most items sold from the online retailer with Prime Delivery, in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market, access to exclusive shopping events — like Prime Day and Black Friday — and much more.
NBA League Pass
To stream every NBA game from all 30 teams in the association during the preseason, regular season, postseason and NBA Finals, NBA League Pass is the best option.
With prices starting at $16.99 per month, the streaming service features all live games, on-demand games and access to games from the NBA’s archive. NBA League Pass also includes NBA TV for coverage, analysis, documentaries, highlights and more.
However, blackout rules apply to certain TV markets. Learn more about NBA League Pass here.
How to Watch 2025-26 NBA Games With Cable
NBA games air across ESPN, ABC, NBC and NBA TV. You can watch by tuning in through your cable TV provider, on the networks’ respective websites and mobile apps with your cable TV account login — including streaming and traditional services such as DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Verizon, Xfinity and others.
Where to Buy 2025-26 NBA Tickets Online
Want to watch games in person? Tickets are available for NBA games at StubHub, Ticket Liquidator, Ticketmaster and GameTime — prices depend on the city and seat location in the arena. For more info, visit NBA.com.
One of the best deals on last-minute tickets right now is at TicketNetwork, which offers THR readers $150 off orders of $500 with promo code THR150 or $300 off orders $1,000 and up with code THR300.
Some of the best deals on tickets are at Vivid Seats, where you can save $20 with code THR30; or at SeatGeek where you can use promo code HOLLYWOOD10 to save $10 on eligible purchases of $250 and up. Click here for last-minute tickets to NBA games.
