The NBA’s top teams and players once again fight for basketball glory in the 2024 NBA playoffs. ESPN is one of the go-to networks to catch the most exciting postseason games and the NBA Finals. If you don’t have a cable subscription, you can watch ESPN live with a streaming service.
In this article, we’ll tell you the best places to stream the NBA playoffs on ESPN. We’ll also share how CyberGhost VPN can help ensure you don’t miss any of the action, whether you’re at home or on the road.
Quick Guide – How to Watch the NBA Playoffs on ESPN with CyberGhost VPN
- Sign up to CyberGhost VPN and download our easy-to-use app.
- Connect to a VPN server in the US.
- Watch all the action on the hard court!
Why You Need a VPN to Watch the NBA Playoffs on ESPN
The NBA playoffs on ESPN are only available in the US. If you travel abroad, you’ll get an error message when you try to watch games via your streaming service. A VPN lets you change your virtual location back to the US, so you can watch games on ESPN as if you were at home.
Some workplace and school Wi-Fi networks block streaming platforms. A VPN encrypts your traffic so the network can’t see your online activity, allowing you to stream the playoffs on ESPN without restrictions. VPN encryption also stops your ISP detecting your activity and selectively slowing your connection when you’re streaming.
Watch the NBA Playoffs on ESPN: What’s On?
ESPN shares live coverage of the NBA playoffs with TNT, ABC, and NBA TV, so you’ll only be able to watch select games in the first and second rounds on the channel. ESPN has exclusive rights to the Eastern Conference Finals on May 21–22 (games may be brought forward to May 19–20 depending on when the semi-final games end). You can also watch the NBA Finals on ESPN3.
NBA Playoffs on ESPN: Cord-Cutting Options
ESPN only broadcasts certain NBA playoff games. Fortunately, many streaming services offer additional channels, so you can watch more games live. Here are the best places to watch the NBA playoffs online:
Sling
- Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT
- Available Games: select first and second-round playoff games, Eastern and Western Conference Finals, NBA Finals
- Price: $40/month (discount of up to 50 percent for the first month)
Sling offers the most cost-effective way to watch the NBA playoffs. The Sling Orange plan gives you access to ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3. You also get 29 other channels, including TNT, which broadcasts many of the playoff games that aren’t available on ESPN, including the Western Conference Finals.
ABC is only available on the Sling Blue plan, but as games on ABC are also available on ESPN3, it’s not worth paying the extra just for the NBA. You can add NBA TV to the Orange plan for $11 per month if you want to catch every game live.
Sling doesn’t offer a free trial, but you typically get a discount of up to 50 percent off your first month.
YouTube TV
- Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, NBA TV
- Available Games: first and second-round playoff games, Eastern and Western Conference Finals, NBA Finals
- Price: $72.99/month ($57.99 for the first 3 months)
YouTube TV gives you access to all playoff games in one place. The base plan includes ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, NBA TV, and ABC (regional restrictions may apply). It’s more expensive than Sling, but you can currently get a discounted rate for the first three months, and new users may be eligible for a free trial.
Fubo
- Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ABC
- Available Games: select first and second-round playoff games, Eastern Conference Finals, NBA Finals
- Price: $79.99/month
Fubo gives you access to playoff games broadcast on ESPN with its Pro plan. It’s pricey at $79.99, but it comes with over 194 channels and a 7-day free trial. You also get access to ABC, though some games broadcast on ABC may have regional restrictions. To get access to NBA TV, you’ll need to purchase the Sports Plus add-on. Unfortunately, you’ll miss out on games broadcast exclusively on TNT, including the Western Conference Final.
Hulu + Live TV
- Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT
- Available Games: select first and second-round playoff games, Eastern and Western Conference Finals, NBA Finals
- Price: $76.99/month (with ads), $89.99/month (ad-free)
Hulu + Live TV’s channel lineup includes ESPN, TNT, and ABC. This lets you watch most of the playoff games live, including the conference finals and the NBA Finals (regional restrictions may apply). However, you’ll miss out on games exclusive to NBA TV, as there’s no add-on option for this channel.
Hulu + Live TV’s ad-supported package is the most affordable way to stream sports on Hulu at $76.99 per month. It’s not worth upgrading to the ad-free package if you just stream live sports, as you’ll still get ads when watching live TV. Hulu + Live TV has a 3-day free trial.
Why CyberGhost Is the Best VPN for Streaming Sports
You need a fast VPN to watch live sports if you don’t want to put up with buffering or lag. CyberGhost’s blazing-fast VPN servers let you watch the playoffs in picture-perfect HD.
We have streaming-optimized servers for popular sports streaming platforms, including Sling, YouTube TV, Hulu, and ESPN+, which our engineers check regularly to ensure you can access your streaming service, whether you’re at home or traveling abroad.
CyberGhost VPN has user-friendly apps for Windows and macOS computers, iOS and Android tablets and smartphones, as well as Android TV and Amazon Fire TV Stick. We give you 7 simultaneous device connections, so everyone in the family can watch separately or together. We also give you unlimited VPN bandwidth so stream as much as you want.
If you need help choosing the best server for your needs, you can contact our 24/7 customer service team. You can also try CyberGhost VPN risk-free with our 45-day money-back guarantee.
Can I Use a VPN to Unblock ESPN from Outside the US?
Some ESPN viewers connect to a VPN server in the US to watch the NBA playoffs from a different country, but this is against our terms of service and is not acceptable.
CyberGhost is a privacy-forward no-logs VPN, meaning we can’t view your online activity, and we never share your browsing data. While we don’t know what you’re doing online, you should always comply with ESPN’s terms of use, our terms of service, and any applicable law, including copyright.
FAQ
If you have a cable TV account, you can use it to log in to the ESPN app, which is available for iOS, Android, and some smart TVs and games consoles. If you don’t have a cable subscription, you can stream NBA games on ESPN via streaming services like Sling, Hulu, Fubo, and YouTube TV.
You can watch NBA playoff games which ESPN has broadcast rights for on the ESPN app. These include select first and second-round games, the Eastern Conference finals, and the NBA finals. You need a TV provider account to access the app.
ESPN+ is only available in the US, but if you already have a subscription, you can use CyberGhost VPN to access the platform when you travel outside the US. Sign up to CyberGhost VPN, download the app, and connect to a streaming-optimized server for ESPN+. You can then log in to your ESPN+ account as normal.
In the UK, you can watch the NBA playoffs with the NBA League Pass or on TNT Sports. The NBA League Pass is the best value option if you just want NBA games. TNT Sports is available directly on Discovery+ or as a paid add-on to your BT, EE, Sky, or Virgin Media plan.
Yes. It’s especially useful if you’re on a network that blocks streaming. A VPN will encrypt your traffic to help you get around network firewalls, so you can watch the NBA playoffs without restrictions. You can also use a VPN to access your usual streaming platforms when you travel abroad.
CyberGhost is the best VPN for ESPN+. We have a streaming-optimized server for ESPN+ that gives you secure access to your ESPN+ account, even when you’re traveling outside the US. Our ultra-fast servers give you smooth streams every time, even in HD. Our robust VPN encryption conceals your online activity, so you can bypass network blocks to access ESPN+ on restricted networks and avoid content-based ISP throttling.
Not all VPNs work with ESPN+, but you can try disconnecting and then reconnecting to your VPN to refresh your IP address. If you’re using a browser, you could also try using incognito mode. If this doesn’t work, get CyberGhost VPN. We have streaming-optimized servers for lots of platforms, including ESPN, which we check regularly to make sure they can access the services.
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