Watch 2017 NBA Finals Without Cable – 1st Round

How to Watch 2017 NBA Finals Online & with an Antenna

Do you love the NBA but hate cable television? Would you like to know how to watch the NBA playoffs without cable? Then stick around, because that’s exactly what we’re going to be discussing today.

Isn’t it funny how time catches up on you? It only seems like yesterday that the Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA championships. But nearly a year later, here we are again eagerly awaiting the start of the 2017 NBA playoffs.

Like most sport events these days, it’s incredibly easy to tune in to the NBA playoffs without a costly cable subscription. That is, as long as you know where to go, and what to do.

To begin lets take a look at the channels you’ll need to catch all the action. The NBA playoffs will air on these six channels: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, TNT, and NBA TV.

Check out HOW TO WATCH NBA ONLINE & WITHOUT CABLE (Dec. 2017)

Now lets take a look at the different tools and platforms you can use to access these channels over the coming weeks.

Over-the-Air Antenna

The simplest and easiest way to watch the NBA without cable is get an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. With it, you can get access to all of the major broadcast networks in your area; such as NBC, CBS, Fox, and (most importantly) ABC.

Although the majority of the first round will be found on other networks, there is still a small number of games that will air on ABC. In the long term, it’s a good idea to invest in an OTA antenna (check out what Mohu has to offer), and in the short term, you wont need to miss some very important match ups (check out game 7 below).

Check out a complete list of

recommended Antennas and

OTA DVRs here.

PlayStation Vue

The first streaming options we will be discussing is probably the least popular option but still worth discussing. PlayStation Vue is an online streaming service that let’s you live stream dozens of television channels for a modest monthly fee. There are no contracts and no lengthy commitments; you just pay by the month.

By subscribing to their $30 a month Access Slim package, you’ll get to watch ESPN without cable, ESPN2, and TNT. The vast majority of games will air on those three channels, so you won’t miss much without ESPNews or NBA TV. If you want EVERY game, then you’ll want to bump your subscription to to the $35 a month, Core Slim subscription.

Sling TV

If you’d like to save some money and STILL watch every single NBA playoff game, then Sling TV (free trial) is where you want to go. Just like PlayStation Vue, Sling TV is a streaming service that brings you live television to your streaming device for a modest monthly fee.

For $20 a month, you can get access to ESPN, ESPN 2, and TNT with Sling TV’s Orange package. If you throw in an extra $5, you can get the Sports Extra add-on and pick up ESPNews and NBA TV; giving you complete playoff coverage. And, best of all, it’s still $10 cheaper than PlayStation Vue.

DirecTV Now

The third way to watch the NBA playoffs without cable is with DirectTV Now (free trial). Like with the other streaming services we discussed, DirectTV Now gives you live streaming access to dozens of television channels.

For $35, you can get set up with their base plan, the Live a Little subscription. With it, you’ll get ESPN, ESPN 2, and TNT; which will net you the vast majority of playoff games.

If you still want complete coverage, then you’ll have to upgrade to the $60 a month Go Big package, which will give you ESPNews and NBA TV. However, given that there’s only a handful of games on those channels (and the fact there are far cheaper options available), you might want to stick to the lower end of the subscription ladder.

2017 NBA Playoff Schedule – Round 1

Now that you know HOW to watch the NBA playoffs, here’s a look at the first few days of round matchups (EST)!

April 16 – Game 1

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April 17 – Game 2

07:00 PM – Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – TNT

9:30 PM – Memphis Grizzlies vs. San Antonio Spurs – TNT

April 18 – Game 2

07:00 PM – Milwaukee Bucks vs. Toronto Raptors – NBA TV

8:00 PM – Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics – TNT

9/10:30 PM – Utah Jazz vs. LA Clippers – TNT

April 19 – Game 2

7:00 PM – Atlanta Hawks vs. Washington Wizards – NBA TV

8:00 PM – Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets – TNT

10:30 PM – Portland Trail Blazers vs. Golden State Warriors – TNT

To see the complete schedule click here

Who do you think can go all the way this years? Will the Warriors make up for that embarrassing display last year? Let us know in the comment below or sound off on social media!

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