How to Watch the NBA Live Online in 2024

The international NBA League Pass is one of the cheapest ways to watch all out-of-market games live. Exceptions to this are Canada and the US, which are subject to regional blackouts even if you subscribe to services like NBA League Pass or YouTube TV.

Hypothetically, if you’re in Canada or the US, a VPN can make it look like you’re streaming from a region where all NBA games are available live. However, using a VPN to watch the NBA pre-season, playoffs, finals, and full-season games from anywhere goes against the terms and conditions of streaming providers. It can also violate copyright laws.

As long as you're in a country that supports the international NBA League Pass, a VPN can help you stream safely in HD. My team and I tested 40+ VPNs and found ExpressVPN the best way to live-stream the NBA securely. It has the fastest speeds to watch NBA games like Warriors vs Lakers without buffering. It's also user-friendly and has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free. Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.

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Best VPNs to Live-Stream NBA Games Online in 2024

1. ExpressVPN — Excellent Speeds to Watch NBA Games Live in UHD

Editor’s Choice Editor’s Choice Try Risk-Free for 30 Days
Tested November 2024

Works With:

Sky ESPN+ Dazn FIFA+

Netflix Disney+ APV More

Try ExpressVPN >

www.expressvpn.com

ExpressVPN was consistently the fastest VPN I tested for watching NBA games live, even during the most popular games. I enjoyed the intensity of every dribble and dunk in crystal-clear quality. My speeds stayed above 118Mbps, testing local US servers from a base connection of 126.29Mbps. My Canadian colleague similarly only had an 11% speed drop testing a server in Toronto.

Just click the power button to automatically connect to the fastest (nearest) server

Thanks to its rotating IP addresses, it's also one of the most reliable VPNs for streaming sports. Streaming platforms can detect and block VPNs, even if you're using one in a country with broadcasting rights to the NBA. ExpressVPN worked well with all my US streaming accounts from within the country, including League Pass, YouTube TV, and ESPN+.

You can watch basketball on your big-screen TV without complicated setups. ExpressVPN has a native app for Android and Apple TV. Go to the relevant app store on your TV, search for "ExpressVPN', and click to install. If you have an older smart TV or gaming console incompatible with VPNs or use Roku to stream, the VPN's dedicated router app is user-friendly. Once set up (it took me 10 minutes on my Asus router), you can stream on any device connected to your home network.

On the downside, it's the most expensive VPN on this list, starting at $4.99/month. However, ExpressVPN helps you save with regular deals and discounts. I got 82% off and 3 additional months free with its long-term plan. All subscriptions also come with 8 simultaneous connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Useful Features

• Lightway Protocol. This proprietary VPN tunnel uses less code, making it faster without sacrificing security. I also noticed less battery drain during testing when watching NBA games on my iPhone.
• Split tunneling. This allows you to choose which apps use the VPN connection and which don’t. This can free up more bandwidth since only some of your traffic gets encrypted, which is a good option if your baseline internet speeds are slow.
• 24/7 customer support. ExpressVPN offers round-the-clock live chat and email. I got an immediate helpful response from a human testing its live chat feature.
• Shortcuts. This lets you safely connect to your streaming services and watch basketball even faster. I made a shortcut to connect to a local US server when I launched YouTube TV from within the app.

2. CyberGhost — Optimized Servers for Easy NBA Streaming

Works With:

Sky ESPN+ Dazn FIFA+

Netflix Disney+ APV More

Try CyberGhost VPN >

www.cyberghostvpn.com

CyberGhost’s optimized servers are regularly tested, so they work reliably with NBA broadcasters, like Sling TV and YouTube TV. Simply launch the app, click For Streaming in the menu, and type your country into the search bar. From my US location, I tested CyberGhost’s Amazon Prime-optimized server — I never missed a three-pointer because of buffering or disconnect.

Click the star icon next to a CyberGhost server to add it to "favorites"

Although slightly slower than ExpressVPN, its speeds are excellent for watching NBA games live without delays. My average download speed dropped from 121.58Mbps to 110.47Mbps when testing servers in Los Angeles from my US location. It didn't negatively affect my performance even when streaming on its up to 7 device connection simultaneously.

One drawback is that monthly plans are pricey and have a short 14-day money-back guarantee. However, long-term subscriptions are affordable at only $2.03/month with an extended money-back guarantee, so you can test CyberGhost free for 45 days.

Useful Features

• Dedicated IP addresses. For a small extra fee, you can subscribe to a dedicated IP that allows for exclusive use. This helps you avoid VPN blocks on NBA official streaming sites.
• User-friendly interface. If you're unfamiliar with VPNs, I recommend CyberGhost as a beginner-friendly option. It's easy to navigate and apps for different devices look similar.
• Block content. Turn on this feature to eliminate annoying pop-ups and reduce background trackers, which take up bandwidth and can contribute to lag during NBA games.

3. Private Internet Access — Unlimited Connections to Watch NBA on All Your Devices

Works With:

Sky ESPN+ FIFA+ Netflix

Disney+ APV More

Try Private Internet Access >

www.privateinternetaccess.com

You can share PIA with your household and safely watch uninterrupted NBA games. Combined with limitless bandwidth, you can stream on any device without restriction. From the US, I connected 9 devices at once and watched ESPN+ on them without problems.

If you're unfamiliar with VPNs, PIA's settings may seem complex. However, its apps come pre-configured for streaming, so you can connect to a server and watch basketball games immediately. Also, its many customization options can come in handy. For example, you can rearrange features and servers on the desktop interface to get it to look how you want.

Optimize your speeds on PIA by choosing the WireGuard protocol

PIA is one of the most affordable VPNs, with a long-term plan starting at $2.03/month. If you're not ready to commit, you can try PIA first with its 30-day money-back guarantee and claim a refund if it's not for you.

Useful Features

• Streaming servers. PIA has dedicated servers for streaming in various countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. The US West and East options continually gave me the most reliable connection when testing from within the country.
• Live chat. I like that PIA’s 24/7 live chat widget lets you talk to a real human instead of a bot. I got answers to my NBA streaming questions within 5 minutes at various times of the day.

Where Can I Watch the NBA 2024 Season Online

If you have cable, you can watch NBA games on channels like NBA TV, TBA, TNT, ABC, and ESPN. However, for those like me who have been without cable for years, you can still catch all the thrilling action online through the Global NBA League Pass. Additionally, I have provided a list of other streaming platforms below that will broadcast NBA games, although certain games may be restricted due to broadcasting rights.

League Pass is available in all countries except for Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Japan, Kosovo, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Syria.

Keep in mind that there are hundreds of NBA games in a season, and few channels or streaming services have the rights to broadcast all of them. If you’re in the US and Canada, you’ll likely be subject to blackouts for in-market games. And, for some streaming services, like Sling TV, you’ll need to use different channels to watch all NBA games, like ESPN, TNT, and League Pass.

However, the good news is that you can usually watch blacked-out games on-demand after a short delay. The delay is typically only 3 hours on platforms like NBA League pass.

Note. While a VPN can hypothetically be used to watch NBA streaming platforms from anywhere, this constitutes copyright infringement, which I do not support.

How to Sign Up for the Global NBA League Pass to Watch Games Live

If you reside in the US, you can subscribe to the Amazon Prime Video NBA League Pass channel to watch all out-of-market games. Amazon Prime Video and the NBA League Pass channel have free trials, so you can watch games for free for a limited time.

1. Head to the site. Go to Amazon Prime Video and choose your plan. You can pay monthly or yearly.
2. Find the NBA League Pass channel. Browse the available channels in the Sports category or use the search bar.
   Scroll down after searching “NBA league pass” to see upcoming matches
3. Choose your plan. If you haven’t paid for your Amazon Prime Video membership, you can purchase it with the NBA League Pass in one go.
   You can start both service's free trials simultaneously
4. Complete your purchase. You can use your US credit card or another valid US payment method, like a gift card.
5. Watch the new NBA season. You can now log in to your account and enjoy live and on-demand NBA games from the US and studio shows on NBA TV.

FAQs on Watching the NBA With a VPN

Can I watch NBA games live for free?

Technically no, but you can watch it for free for a short period. Streaming services, like FuboTV, YouTube TV, and DirecTV offer free trials to watch the games for a limited time. All the recommended VPNs on this list also have money-back guarantees (at least 30 days), so you can watch NBA games from your location.

Where can I watch the NBA playoffs and finals?

The only way to stream all NBA playoffs and finals live is to sign up for the Global NBA League Pass. Cable TV providers like ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV each only have rights to broadcast some NBA playoff games, while ABC has exclusive rights to the NBA finals. Some playoffs and finals are also subject to local blackouts.

For the 2024 season, the playoff games will commence on April 20th and continue until May 17th. The first four finals games will run from June 6th to June 14th. Should no team win four games, the 5th, 6th, and 7th games will take place from June 17th to June 23rd. Just remember that you have to be located in a valid broadcasting region (like the US) in order to watch them.

Why are there blackouts in NBA games?

NBA blackouts are typically due to contractual agreements or regional restrictions enforced by the NBA, its partners, or its broadcasters. This means some games are most likely unavailable for live streaming where you are. Blackouts typically apply to locally and nationally televised games to protect local broadcaster’s rights and to promote live attendance.

Theoretically, a VPN can help you watch all NBA games, including out-of-market coverage. However, this goes against most streaming platform terms and conditions and possibly counts as copyright infringement. Blackouts only apply to the US and Canada, so you can watch all games with services like NBA League Pass if you’re in another country.

How do I watch the NBA without cable?

You can use the League Pass to watch NBA games online. Even though NBA games can be streamed on other platforms, like Sling TV and Sky Sports, they don’t air as many games as the Global NBA League Pass. It allows you to watch every game in the season without blackouts, except in the US and Canada. Certain games with the League Pass in those two countries are still subject to blackouts and restrictions.

Does Amazon Prime Video have NBA games?

Yes. If you have a US Amazon Prime Video membership, you can add the NBA League Pass to your account. Unlike the standalone League Pass service, this add-on still comes with a 7-day free trial. Unfortunately, you might not be able to access the entire season’s NBA games due to regional blackouts in the US and Canada.

Can I watch the 2024 NBA season with a free VPN?

Possibly, but I don't recommend it. At best, free VPNs are unreliable and have throttled speed and limited servers. Most don’t work with streaming sites at all. At worst, they could put your data security at risk. A premium VPN with a trustworthy money-back guarantee is a more reliable option.

Since free VPNs don’t make money from subscriptions, they have to get revenue in other ways like selling your information to advertisers. Most free VPNs make money from ads, which means lots of annoying pop-ups disrupting the game.

How can I watch NBA games live on Roku?

The best way is to use the official NBA League Pass app for Roku. If you’re a subscriber, you can install the app on your Roku device to watch basketball games and NBA TV shows. Many other live TV streaming services like DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV, and FuboTV also have Roku apps, so you can watch coverage on ESPN or TNT from the US.

The easiest way to stream NBA securely with Roku is to configure a VPN on your router. All the shortlisted VPNs offer support for routers, and ExpressVPN even has a dedicated router app that makes it easy to set up and use.

Watch the 2024 NBA Season in Minutes

It shouldn’t be such a challenge to watch the NBA playoffs, pre-season, and full-season games without buffering or video quality drops. Thankfully, a good VPN can help you watch all NBA games live online in the best quality.

I recommend ExpressVPN for watching NBA games live because it has the fastest speeds on its global network of servers for uninterrupted streaming. As a bonus, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try ExpressVPN out for yourself risk-free.

To summarize, these are the best VPNs to watch the NBA...

Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: Intego, Cyberghost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

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