Everything you thought you knew about finding the NBA on TV just got tossed out the window. If you’re sitting there in June 2026 wondering why your usual go-to channel feels like a ghost town, it’s because the league just hit the "reset" button on a massive scale. We are officially in the first year of the new 11-year media rights deal. It’s a $76 billion monster that changed the map for every fan.
Honestly, the biggest mistake people make is assuming they can just "find it on cable" like they did back in 2024. It’s not that simple anymore. While the NBA Finals themselves have a very specific home, the road to get there is now paved with a confusing mix of apps, broadcast towers, and streaming exclusives.
Where to catch the 2026 NBA Finals
Let's get the most important part out of the way first. If you want to watch the actual championship series—the big dance—you need to find ABC.
Even with all the new streaming partners like Amazon and Peacock entering the fray, the NBA kept the Finals exclusive to ABC. They’ve done this since 2003, and this new contract locks that in through 2036. If you have a digital antenna, you can literally pull the games out of the air for free. You don’t even need a subscription.
The 2026 Finals are scheduled to tip off on June 4, 2026. If the series goes the distance to a Game 7, you're looking at a June 21 finish.
The ESPN Unlimited twist
Now, here is where it gets a little "kinda" complicated. ESPN launched a new direct-to-consumer service called ESPN Unlimited (not to be confused with the old ESPN+). If you’ve cut the cord and don’t have a cable box or a digital antenna, this is your primary digital gateway.
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Because ABC and ESPN are both under the Disney umbrella, you can stream the ABC broadcast of the Finals through the ESPN Unlimited app.
- Cost: Around $30 a month or $300 for the year.
- The Benefit: You get the full suite of ESPN networks, including the "Inside the NBA" crew (Barkley, Shaq, Kenny, and Ernie) who moved over to ESPN as part of a settlement with Warner Bros. Discovery.
- The Catch: It’s a dedicated app. You aren't just "opening a browser"; you're managing another subscription.
What about the earlier rounds?
You can't just show up in June and expect to know what's going on. The playoffs start April 18, 2026, and that's where the new rights deal really starts to flex its muscles.
Unlike the Finals, which are 100% ABC, the early rounds are split into three main buckets.
NBC and Peacock are back in the NBA business for the first time in over two decades. They’re leaning hard into "Sunday Night Basketball." If you're looking for playoff games on Monday nights, those are likely going to be Peacock exclusives. You won't find them on a traditional TV channel. You'll need the app.
Amazon Prime Video is the other new heavy hitter. They have the exclusive rights to the Play-In Tournament (April 14–17) and a significant chunk of early-round playoff games. If you’re already a Prime member for the shipping, you’re basically set here, but it’s one more place you have to check.
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ESPN/ABC still carries the lion's share of the "pre-Finals" action, including one of the Conference Finals series. The league alternates which network gets which Conference Final every year. For 2026, NBC and ESPN are splitting that high-stakes territory.
How to watch if you're outside the US
Watching from abroad used to be a nightmare of laggy streams. That's largely changed. NBA League Pass is still the gold standard for international fans, but the distribution has shifted.
In many territories, Amazon Prime Video has become the lead distributor for League Pass. Instead of buying it through a separate NBA website, you just add it as a "channel" inside your Prime Video account.
In the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports remains the primary home, though Amazon is carving out a piece of that pie too. In France and the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa), beIN SPORTS recently extended their deal to keep showing the Finals through 2026 and beyond.
The "Free" way to watch the Finals
I mentioned the antenna earlier, and I’m serious about it. Most people under 30 think of TV antennas as something their grandparents used to fix with aluminum foil.
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Modern HD antennas are tiny, cost about $20 at a big-box store, and provide a 1080p (or sometimes 4K) signal that is actually less compressed than what you get from cable or streaming. Since the NBA Finals are on ABC—a broadcast network—this is the most reliable way to watch without a monthly bill.
No lag. No "buffering" right when someone is shooting a game-winning three. Just live sports.
Quick checklist for the 2026 post-season:
- Play-In Tournament: Amazon Prime Video.
- Monday Night Playoff Games: Likely Peacock.
- Wednesday/Friday Games: ESPN or ESPN Unlimited.
- Sunday Night Games: NBC or ABC.
- The NBA Finals: ABC (and simulcast on ESPN Unlimited).
Making sure you're ready
Don't wait until tip-off to see if your login works. The move to a "multi-platform" world means you might need three different apps just to see the first two rounds.
If you want the simplest path, a "skinny bundle" like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV still carries ABC, NBC, and ESPN in one package. It feels like the old cable days but without the contract. Just keep in mind that even with these, you might still miss the Peacock-exclusive games unless you have that specific app.
The best move right now is to audit what you already pay for. If you have Prime and a basic Peacock sub, you're 70% of the way there. Grab an antenna for the ABC games, and you've effectively gamed the system.
Check your local listings for the exact tip-off times as June approaches, as the NBA tends to flex start times to accommodate West Coast viewers. Usually, you're looking at an 8:30 PM or 9:00 PM Eastern start for those Finals matchups.