Short answer: nationally, the 2026-27 season is shared between NBC and Peacock (about 100 games), ESPN and ABC (about 80) and Prime Video (mid-60s). Local games are on regional networks or team streaming services, and out-of-market games on NBA League Pass. The catch for playoff viewers: in 2027 the Eastern Conference Finals are exclusive to Prime Video and the Western Conference Finals to ESPN/ABC, so following both needs two services.
At a glance
The 2026-27 NBA season on TV
| Season | 20 Oct 2026 to 5 Apr 2027 |
| Mon / Tue / Sun | Peacock / NBC & Peacock / NBC from 24 Jan |
| Wednesday | ESPN doubleheaders |
| Friday | Prime Video |
| Christmas Day | ESPN and ABC |
| NBA Finals | ABC, exclusive |
The season, and what's different
The regular season runs from 20 October 2026, with an NBC and Peacock tip-off tripleheader, to 5 April 2027. It's the second year of the current national deals. Our main guide to where to watch the NBA covers League Pass in depth; this page is the US night-by-night view.
Sunday Night Basketball arrives later. NBC's Sunday slot starts on 24 January, once the NFL season has cleared its Sunday nights, and includes seven doubleheaders.
Presidents' Day gets a quadrupleheader on NBC and Peacock on 15 February, a new fixture.
Prime Video takes its first conference final. Amazon's exclusive Eastern Conference Finals in 2027 is its first, and a milestone for streaming's place in the NBA calendar.
Prime Video adds nights. Its Friday base extends to some Thursday and Saturday games from January, with Saturday games timed for European audiences.
NBCSN simulcasts Peacock's Monday games for viewers who get it through cable or a live TV service.
Local streaming keeps shifting. With regional networks still in decline, more teams have moved local games to direct streaming partners, and the league has been working towards a centralised local streaming option. Expect further changes before next season.
A typical week
| Night | Broadcaster | Stream it on |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Peacock (also NBCSN) | Peacock Premium |
| Tuesday | NBC and Peacock, Coast 2 Coast doubleheader | Peacock, antenna for NBC |
| Wednesday | ESPN doubleheader | ESPN Unlimited, live TV services |
| Thursday | Prime Video (from January) | Prime or Prime Video |
| Friday | Prime Video | Prime or Prime Video |
| Saturday | ESPN/ABC from midseason; some Prime Video games from January | ESPN, antenna for ABC, Prime |
| Sunday | ABC/ESPN from midseason; NBC Sunday Night Basketball from 24 Jan | Antenna, ESPN, Peacock |
Every other game is a local broadcast in the teams' markets and available on NBA League Pass to fans outside them.
What each service costs
| Service | Games | Price (US list) |
|---|---|---|
| Peacock Premium | About 100 NBC/Peacock games | $12.99/month |
| Prime Video | Mid-60s regular-season games, NBA Cup knockouts | Prime $14.99/month or $139/year |
| ESPN Unlimited | About 80 ESPN/ABC games | About $30/month |
| NBA League Pass | Out-of-market games | $16.99/month; Premium $24.99/month |
| Antenna | ABC and NBC games | Free |
Prices are standard monthly rates around the start of the season; annual plans are usually cheaper.
Big dates
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct | Opening tripleheader | NBC, Peacock |
| 23 Oct | Prime Video's season opener: Knicks v Celtics | Prime Video |
| From 30 Oct | NBA Cup group play | Prime Video |
| 25 Nov | Thanksgiving Eve tripleheader | ESPN |
| 27 Nov | Black Friday doubleheader | Prime Video |
| 11 Dec | NBA Cup final | Prime Video |
| 25 Dec | Christmas Day games | ESPN, ABC |
| 14 and 17 Jan | Global Games in Paris and Manchester | Prime Video |
| 15 Feb | Presidents' Day quadrupleheader | NBC, Peacock |
| 21 Feb | All-Star Game, Phoenix | NBC, Peacock |
| April | Play-In Tournament | Prime Video, exclusive |
Playoffs: who has which round
First round and conference semi-finals: shared between NBC/Peacock, ESPN/ABC and Prime Video.
Eastern Conference Finals: Prime Video, exclusively, for the first time.
Western Conference Finals: ESPN and ABC.
NBA Finals: ABC, as it has been for more than two decades.
The conference finals rotate between partners each year, so check again for 2028.
Local games and League Pass
Local games are on regional sports networks or, increasingly, team-run and third-party streaming services. Several teams' local streaming has moved to DAZN; the Knicks, Nets and Wizards' networks are also available through Prime Video Channels. Your team's website lists its current local options.
NBA League Pass carries out-of-market games live. It blacks out your local teams and every national game on ESPN, ABC, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video. National games arrive as replays at 6am Eastern the next day, and local blackouts after three days.
Use the ZIP code checker on NBA.com before buying League Pass.
Outside the US
The US split between three national partners doesn't apply abroad. NBA League Pass is sold internationally with every game live and without the US blackouts, except in a few countries where a local broadcaster has priority. Our main NBA guide, linked above, covers the international picture.
Canada has its own arrangement, with national and Raptors games on Canadian broadcasters.
Europe-friendly times: Prime Video has scheduled several Saturday games for European primetime, and the January Global Games in Paris and Manchester are played in local evening slots.
Every game is available legally in the US and most countries. Unlicensed IPTV services and pirate streams aren't licensed to show NBA games and tend to drop out when it matters; our sports streaming guide explains what legitimate options look like.
Getting set up on a TV
Every service here has apps for Google TV and Android TV, Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, most recent smart TVs and games consoles.
Sign in before tip-off. Peacock, Prime Video, ESPN and League Pass each need their own sign-in on each TV. Doing it the day before a big game avoids missing the opening minutes to a two-factor code.
Use the NBA app's Tap to Watch. The league's app shows where each game is on and can hand off to the right service, which helps in a season spread across several apps.
Mind your connection. Basketball is fast; a wired connection or a strong 5 GHz signal to the main TV makes more difference than any app setting.
Cheapest ways to watch
Casual fan: an antenna for ABC and NBC, plus whichever of Peacock or Prime you already have.
Following one out-of-market team: League Pass plus Peacock and Prime covers most games; ESPN adds the rest.
Following your local team: its local streaming option first, then the national services for its national games.
Our separate guides cover the NBA on Prime Video and the NBA on Peacock in more detail.
Quick answers
Where can I watch the NBA in 2026-27? Nationally on NBC and Peacock, ESPN and ABC, and Prime Video. Local games are on regional networks or team streaming services, and out-of-market games on NBA League Pass.
When does the 2026-27 NBA season start? On 20 October 2026, with a tripleheader on NBC and Peacock. The regular season ends on 5 April 2027.
Where are the 2027 NBA Finals? On ABC, which has exclusive rights to the Finals.
Where are the 2027 conference finals? The Eastern Conference Finals are exclusive to Prime Video and the Western Conference Finals are on ESPN and ABC.
Where is the NBA on Christmas Day? ESPN and ABC.
Where can I watch the NBA All-Star Game? NBC and Peacock have All-Star Weekend in Phoenix, with the game on 21 February 2027.
Does League Pass show national games? Not live in the US. National games on ESPN, ABC, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video are blacked out and appear as replays the next morning.
The NBA adjusts national schedules through the season, local streaming arrangements are changing quickly, and prices change often. Checked September 2026.