The Denver Nuggets defied expectations Wednesday night, beating the Miami Heat in game 3 of the NBA Finals, despite the game having been played on Miami’s home court. That means the stakes will be high for game 4, which will be played Friday, June 9 in Miami at 8:30 p.m. Eastern, 5:30 p.m. Pacific.
ABC has the exclusive rights to air the NBA Finals, so you’ll be able to watch the championship series for free if you have an over-the-air TV antenna that’s capable of pulling in your local ABC broadcast affiliate; otherwise, you’ll need need a streaming subscription if you’ve ditched cable. You’ll find our top antenna picks here. Read on for your other cable-free options.
Sling TV offers one of the least-expensive alternatives to cable, but you’ll need a TV antenna to watch your local broadcast channels.
Over the air
Winegard’s Flatwave Amped antenna (model number FL-5500A) is one of our favorite indoor antennas.
Martyn Williams/IDG
You can watch the playoff games with some combination of the following services.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream will give you access to ESPN, TNT, TBS, ABC and NBA TV through its Choice package for $100 per month. Currently, the service is offering $10 off the monthly rate for the first three months of your subscription. You can try the service for free for five days.
Fubo
Fubo’s $85-per-month Elite package includes ABC and ESPN, and NBA TV. None of its packages include TNT or TBS, though. A 7-day free trial is available.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV gives you access to ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT. As with most other services, however, the exact channel lineup varies by market. The service costs $70 per month, and there’s a 7-day free trial available.
Sling TV
Sling TV’s “basketball bundle” is one of the least-expensive ways for cord-cutters to watch the NBA postseason. Sign up for the Sling Orange package plus the Sports Extra add-on and you’ll get $20 off the usual $51-per-month price for the first month. That will get you ESPN, TNT, TBS, and NBA TV. Add a TV antenna to catch the ABC broadcasts, and you’ll have everything covered. Sling TV offers a 7-day free trial when you sign up through a Sling-compatible streaming device .
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is our top pick in TV-streaming services overall, and it includes local ABC stations (in 99.5 percent of the homes in the U.S.), ESPN, TNT, TBS, and NBA TV. Subscriptions are $73 per month, but the service is currently offering the first three months for just $63. A 7-day free trial is available.
Author: Michael Ansaldo, Freelance contributor
Michael Ansaldo is veteran consumer and small-business technology journalist. He contributes regularly to TechHive and PCWorld.