How to watch the 2026 NBA season even if you don’t have cable

Basketball fans, the NBA is almost back. This week marks the end of pre-season and the official start of the 2026-2027 basketball season, where all 30 teams will compete for a chance to win the coveted NBA Championship.

Ahead of Opening Night, I’ve gathered everything you need to know about the upcoming start to the NBA season, including where to watch and everything you need to ring in the basketball season the right way.

The 2026-27 NBA regular season goes from October 20, 2027 until April 11, 2027. The league starts up this week with a triple-header on Tuesday, featuring the Boston Celtics versus the Detroit Pistons at 3 p.m. ET, the Philadelphia 76ers versus the New York Knicks at 7 p.m. ET and the Oklahoma Thunder versus the San Antonio Spurs closing out the day at 9:30 p.m ET.

You can check the NBA website for the full match schedule along with league standings, team stats and more.

ESPN has one of the largest sports streaming platforms, and you can access NBA game streams nationally on ESPN and ABC via the ESPN app. You can also access ESPN+, ABC on ESPN, SEC+ ACCNX and more. You can purchase ESPN Unlimited for $31.99 per month, or pay $319.99 for the year on an annual plan.

Prime Video will show Friday night NBA games during the regular season, along with the Emirates NBA Cup Group Play stages in October and November. Amazon Prime offers a 30-day free trial that lets you take it for a test run, which includes access to games and all of Prime Video’s shows, movies and live sports library. You’ll also get all the perks of an Amazon Prime membership — following the trial, membership is $14.99 per month or $139 annually.

You can use Peacock to stream around 100 regular-season games, including Opening Night, all Monday night games, Holiday Hoops and matchups on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents’ Day. Peacock subscriptions that include live sports start at $12.99 per month or $129.99 per year for the Premium, ad-supported tier and go to $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year for the Premium Plus ad-free tier.

This affordable TV has an LED backlight that helps improve brightness and contrast in the picture, along with Quantum Dot tech that gives the images more than a billion shades of colors, according to the brand. It’s Bluetooth and smart home-compatible, and includes built-in streaming apps for easy access to your favorite movies and shows. The wide viewing angle also helps the picture stay clear no matter what angle you’re looking from.

Apple’s iPad is one of our favorite tablets, and I love using mine to stream games when I’m not at home or watching with friends. It has a large screen and built-in speakers on the side for a surround-sound effect, along with a fast A16 chip that can stream without lags. It also gets up to ten hours of battery life — more than enough time to get through even Friday night double-headers.

My Roku streaming stick is still one of my all-time favorite purchases. I use it to watch shows on every app: Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock, Criterion Channel, Youtube — you name it. I love how easy it is to set up, and that it’s small and portable enough to be carried around easily, perfect for bringing along on trips.

This soundbar has dual speakers and a three-dimensional surround sound design that results in louder sound and deeper bass while you listen, according to the brand. It has HDMI ports that allow for easy compatibility with most TVs, and includes a remote and a wall-mounting kit with purchase. You can also connect it to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth to play music, stream show audio and more.

Every fan knows that no sports season is complete without a jersey, and you’ll want to get yours before your team tips off on opening night. This official NBA jersey (featuring Jalen Brunson, who led the New York Knicks to win the last NBA Finals), is made from recycled materials and has a mesh design that helps to wick sweat while you wear it, according to the brand. It’s also very durable — I’ve had my Toronto Raptors version for years, and just one wash gets it back to looking almost brand new.

I’m an associate SEO reporter with three years of experience covering topics like how to properly clean your jerseys and which clear bags are best for stadium games. I’m also an avid sports fan who’s been watching basketball for years. To write this story, I researched streaming services and products to help you watch all the games of the 2026-27 NBA season.

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