Honestly, trying to figure out where to watch the NBA games this season feels a bit like trying to guard Steph Curry on a perimeter switch—you’re probably going to end up confused and out of breath. The 2025-26 season marks the biggest shake-up in basketball broadcasting since the early 2000s. If you’re still looking for the familiar TNT "Inside the NBA" crew on Thursday nights, you're in for a surprise. TNT is out. NBC is back. Amazon is here.
Basically, the old "cable bundle" logic has been shattered into a million digital pieces. It’s not just about flipping channels anymore; it’s about managing a portfolio of logins. If you want to catch every dunk, buzzer-beater, and technical foul, you've got to play a bit of Tetris with your streaming subscriptions.
The Big Divorce: No More TNT
Let’s address the elephant in the room first. The 45-year marriage between the NBA and Turner Sports (TNT) is over. You won't find national games on TNT or TBS this year. Instead, the league basically split those rights between NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video.
NBC has made a massive comeback. It’s been over 20 years since we heard that iconic "Roundball Rock" theme song on a Tuesday night, but it's officially back in the rotation. NBC and its streaming sibling, Peacock, are now the home for about 100 national games.
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- Sunday Nights: Once the NFL season wraps up, NBC takes over Sunday nights.
- Monday Nights: This is Peacock’s playground. They have exclusive Monday night doubleheaders.
- Tuesday Nights: NBC runs a "regionalized" doubleheader. This is kinda cool—they show one game to the East/Central part of the country and a different one to the West.
Then there’s Amazon. If you already pay for Prime to get your packages delivered, you’re halfway there. Prime Video is now the exclusive home for 66 regular-season games, mostly on Thursdays and Fridays. They also snagged the rights to the knockout stages of the NBA Cup (that in-season tournament everyone is starting to actually care about).
Disney Still Owns the Finals
Despite all the new players, Disney (ESPN and ABC) remains the king of the mountain when it comes to the "big" stuff. If you’re asking where to watch the NBA games that actually decide the trophy, the answer hasn't changed. The NBA Finals are still exclusive to ABC.
ESPN still handles the bulk of the Wednesday night slate. They also have a massive chunk of the playoffs. One weird thing to keep an eye on is the new ESPN Unlimited service. This is their standalone direct-to-consumer app. If you don't have cable, this is how you get the "main" ESPN channel and ABC games without a $70-a-month streaming bundle. Just don't confuse it with the old "ESPN Select" (formerly ESPN+), which won't give you the big national NBA matchups.
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The Nightmare of Local Blackouts
Here is what most people get wrong: they buy a subscription thinking they can watch their favorite team, only to realize they're "blacked out" because they live too close to the stadium. It’s frustrating.
If you live in Los Angeles and want to watch the Lakers, NBA League Pass is actually the worst thing you can buy. League Pass is strictly for "out-of-market" fans. If you’re a Mavs fan living in Maine? Great, League Pass is your best friend. But if you’re a Mavs fan in Dallas? You’ll be blocked from every local broadcast.
For local games, you usually need your Regional Sports Network (RSN).
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- FanDuel Sports Network: (The artist formerly known as Bally Sports). They still carry a huge number of teams like the Hawks, Cavs, and Grizzlies. You can subscribe to them directly for about $19.99 a month.
- Team-Specific Apps: Some teams have gone rogue (in a good way). The Suns have "Arizona's Family Sports," the Jazz have "Jazz+," and the Blazers have "BlazerVision."
- NBC Sports RSNs: If you’re in Philly, Boston, or the Bay Area, your local games are often tied to NBC Sports RSNs, which you can sometimes add on to a Peacock subscription.
Is NBA League Pass Worth It in 2026?
If you're a hoop junkie who watches five games at once, yes. If you only care about your local team, no.
League Pass has two tiers now. The standard version is roughly $16.99 a month, but it has commercials. The Premium version is around $24.99 and lets you watch on three devices at once. A big change this year: Amazon Prime Video is now the exclusive third-party provider for League Pass. You can link your NBA ID to Prime so you don't have to jump between apps. It keeps everything under one roof, which, honestly, is a relief given how many apps we need now.
The "Everything" Strategy
If you want to be a completionist, you basically need three things. First, a live TV streamer like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. These get you ABC, ESPN, and NBC. Second, Amazon Prime. Third, Peacock.
If you're trying to save money, skip the big cable-replacement bundles. Get the ESPN Unlimited standalone app, Peacock, and Prime Video. That combination covers almost every national game for about half the price of a full cable sub.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Check your Zip Code: Go to the NBA League Pass website and enter your zip code before you pay. It will tell you exactly which teams you can't watch live.
- Audit your Prime: Most people already have Amazon Prime. Open the app and search "NBA" to see the upcoming Thursday/Friday schedule so you don't accidentally buy a game you already have access to.
- Look for the "Student" hack: If you or someone in your house has a
.eduemail, the student discount for League Pass is massive—usually 40% off. - Ditch TNT/TBS: If you're holding onto a specific cable package just for NBA on TNT, cancel it. Those games have moved to NBC and Amazon.
Navigating the 2025-26 broadcast map is a chore, but once you have your logins set, the quality of the streams—especially on Prime and Peacock—is generally higher than the old cable feeds. Just make sure your Wi-Fi can handle the bandwidth before tip-off.