The biggest NBA fans will want to watch every single game of the 2022-2023 NBA season, but sometimes it can be hard to find the right stream.
A VPN can change your IP address to avoid media blackouts and help you access streaming services while abroad. This is how you can pair a VPN with SlingTV, our top pick, to watch any NBA game from anywhere:
- Subscribe to a VPN provider. Our number one recommendation is Surfshark, which is the best and fastest streaming VPN at the moment.
- Install the VPN on your device. Remember to install the application on the device that you will be streaming from.
- Launch the VPN software. When the VPN starts up, log in with the account you have created.
- Connect to a server in the USA. To watch the NBA with SlingTV outside the U.S., you’ll need a VPN server. Surfshark has plenty of high-speed streaming servers.
- Navigate to SlingTV and the service will be unblocked.
Surfshark VPN has 600+ US-based servers, so you can virtually bounce around the country to dodge NBA blackouts. It is ideal for those who are working remotely or are traveling as they can watch NBA games from anywhere in the world.
Surfshark
If you’re looking for other NBA online streaming options, or need some more help setting up a VPN, just keep reading on below.
The 2022-2023 NBA season is nearing its boiling point as teams continue to power through the playoffs and battle it out for a shot at the NBA Finals. Those high-flying, gravity-defying, buzzer-beating plays are best enjoyed in the arena, but as any NBA fan knows — ticket prices can be steep, especially outside the regular season. But there is a solution to this: you can watch NBA games online.
By using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), you can take the experience up a notch. You can watch any NBA matchup you’d like, regardless of your location. You can even get big discounts on NBA League Pass when you use a VPN.
We’ll show you the best way to watch NBA games online, no matter where you are in the world.
How to Watch NBA Games Online With League Pass
The NBA League Pass will be the easiest way to watch NBA streams in HD since the streaming service is offered in most countries. While you may not need a VPN to get this to work, you can certainly use one to save money on NBA League Pass.
By using a VPN like Surfshark, you can get your subscription through countries like Argentina, the Philippines, and Vietnam to watch NBA games online, where the service is more affordable.
How to Watch the NBA Online From the USA
While you can watch the NBA on many television and streaming channels around the globe, Americans may want to connect to their home streaming service and watch the NBA games online from their favorite streaming provider.
Here’s an overview of the different streaming platforms that air NBA games in the United States.
| Streaming Service | Price Per Month | Free Trial? |
|---|---|---|
| Sling TV (Recommended) | $40 and up | No, but rotating sign-up promotions |
| YouTube TV | $72.99 and up | 14-day free trial |
| FuboTV | $74.99 and up | Seven-day free trial |
| DirecTV Stream | $74.99 and up | Five-day free trial |
| Hulu + Live TV | $69.99 and up | No |
If you find yourself outside of the United States, it might be difficult to get access to your usual streaming services. If you’re looking to watch the NBA from anywhere, we’ll show you how to download a VPN and use Sling TV.
Sling TV has got ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV and access to League Pass. Since they don’t carry ABC, you can use a sports package add-on for a simulcast of the NBA Finals. With plans starting at $40, it comes in far cheaper than competitors.
Step-by-step guide: Stream NBA online with Sling TV
Follow the step-by-step guide below to watch NBA streams from anywhere in the world:
- Subscribe to a VPN provider. We recommend Surfshark. They’ve got 600+ servers peppered across 25 U.S. cities, so finding a high-speed, private connection is never a problem, no matter where you are on the map.
SurfsharkDeal Save 82% + 2 Months free and pay only $2.30 a monthFrom$ 2.309.0- Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
- Cheap with many extra options
- Download and install the VPN application to your preferred streaming device. Installing and setting up a VPN is easy, no matter whether you’re planning on using your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Surfshark has easy setup wizards that do the heavy lifting for you.
- Log into the VPN software with your account. Simply use the credentials you created in Step 1 to get access to the VPN.
- Connect to a server in the USA. Wait a few seconds once the server’s been connected.
- Open up Sling TV and find the NBA game you would like to watch!
How to Watch NBA Games in the UK
Sky Sports has the broadcasting rights for fans in the United Kingdom. You’ll be able to catch regular season play and watch NBA playoff games or the NBA Finals on Sky Sports Main Event or Sky Sports Arena channels.
Fans who don’t have Sky Sports included in their cable packages can get subscriptions via the streaming-exclusive NOW TV platform. You can go with a one-off 24-hour pass to watch NBA games online and catch a specific match or get a month-to-month subscription.
- NOW Sports Month Membership: £34.99 ($44)
- NOW Sports Day Membership: £11.98 ($15)
Trying to access Sky Sports or NOW from outside Ireland and the UK? Then you have to bypass online restrictions to access their geo-blocked content. You can do this by using Surfshark VPN. Just follow the quick guide above and connect to the VPN server in the UK instead. Of course, League Pass is available in the UK for fans interested in taking that route.
How to Watch NBA Games in Canada
While TSN has long been the go-to TV broadcaster for all things sports in Canada, they’ve got some competition these days. Pro basketball fans can use Sportsnet NOW to watch NBA games online and on TV.
If you don’t already have a television subscription, you can sign up directly through their streaming sites for a month-to-month or annual contract and have an enjoyable NBA streaming experience.
- TSN: $19.99 (CAD) per month ($14.75 USD)
- Sportsnet NOW: $14.99 (CAD) per month ($11 USD)
For our readers traveling outside Canada, you can use a VPN to bypass Canadian restrictions and connect to the country’s servers and access NBA streams like you were back home. Don’t forget, you can also use League Pass in Canada.
How to Watch NBA Games in Australia
Kayo Sports and Foxtel are the homes for the NBA in the Land Down Under, as they both have plans that include ESPN. But you can pick up NBA League Pass there as well.
When testing Kayo Sports outside Australia, we found that the service actively blocks VPN servers, so it’s not the best platform to pair with a VPN to watch NBA games online. Foxtel and its apps, on the other hand, are a little easier to use outside the country.
Kayo Sports has Basic and Premium no-contract plans, though the only difference between the two tiers is the number of streaming devices you can use at the same time. Basic lets you have two simultaneous device streams, while Premium lets you stream up to three. Foxtel and Foxtel NOW have ESPN in their packages as well.
- Kayo Sports: Basic $25 AUD per month ($17 USD), Premium $35 AUD per month ($23 USD)
- Foxtel: $25 AUD per month plus $29 AUD ($19 USD) Foxtel NOW Sports Pack
How to Watch NBA Games in India
In India, the best way to watch NBA games is through Jio TV’s free media player or with a subscription to Voot Select. You can get HD NBA streams on two simultaneous screens for ₹499 a year (around $6 USD) or upgrade to four screens for ₹599 ($7 USD) a year.
While these prices might leave NBA fans around the world drooling, you need an Indian mobile number and form of payment to sign up. So if you don’t have connections in the country, you’re out of luck.
However, if you can set up an account, Voot Select and Jio TV work well with a VPN outside India. With censorship in India and major changes to data privacy laws — companies are required to collect and store user data for up to five years — many of the best no-log VPNs have pulled their servers from the country.
VPNs like Surfshark, however, offer virtual Indian servers (via the U.K. or Singapore) that can still let you connect to Indian content.
The Best VPNs to Watch NBA Games Online
When looking for a good VPN provider to watch NBA games online with, there are certain features to look out for:
- Server location: A good VPN for NBA streaming needs to have plenty of reliable servers around the world. If you’re trying to access American broadcasters, you’ll need a wide variety in major cities. On the other hand, if you want the best NBA League Pass price through the NBA’s website, you’ll need good Argentinian or Vietnamese servers.
- High speed and stability: You wouldn’t want to wait while the game is loading. Nor would you want a game to freeze up at a crucial moment as the clock winds down. You’ll need a VPN that offers rapid-fire and stable connections, so even if you’re in Tokyo, you can stream U.S.-based content seamlessly.
- Good value for money: Understandably, you likely don’t want to pay too much for your VPN. When it comes to international streaming, it’s not wise to go for a free VPN. Free VPN services limit your data and speed and typically don’t have the server network needed to stream abroad. Though we’ve tested plenty of winners, sometimes, poor services even pose a threat to your online privacy.
We took all the above factors into account when picking our three best VPNs for watching NBA basketball games. You’ll find our top choices down below.
1. Surfshark: The all-star NBA streaming VPN
This isn’t the first time we’ve brought up Surfshark in this guide — and for a good reason. Surfshark has servers in 100 countries around the world, making it the best VPN to use to stream content. We were able to test Surfshark’s Argentinian servers to nab a great deal on NBA League Pass. We’ve also used it to unblock U.S., Canadian, and U.K.-based geo-restricted streaming websites.
With Surfshark, you’ll have much more online freedom, so you can watch all the NBA streams you want whenever you want. Their applications are easy to use, so you don’t need to be tech-savvy to watch basketball while globetrotting.
Moreover, we have thoroughly tested Surfshark and can confidently say that it offers many robust security features to protect your personal information while streaming. They’ve also got the connection speeds and unlimited bandwidth to keep up with HD sports streams.
Not only is this one of the highest-performing VPNs available and the best way to watch NBA games online, but it’s also one of the most affordable VPNs. Moreover, another unique feature that other VPNs in this section do not share is that Surfshark has unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can watch your favorite NBA game online with other NBA fans.
- Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
- Cheap with many extra options
You can try out Surfshark for free with their 30-day money-back guarantee. This way, you can see if their service works for you without committing to a long-term subscription straight away.
2. CyberGhost: In contention for MVP status
If Surfshark isn’t quite to your liking, CyberGhost is a more affordable alternative. Moreover, CyberGhost has twice as many servers worldwide compared to Surfshark. CyberGhost’s strength lies in its focus on online anonymity and privacy protection, and it is also a fantastic option if you want to unblock streaming platforms and watch NBA games online.
Its network stretches far enough to get deals on NBA League Pass in Argentina, Vietnam, or the Philippines. With over 1,360 servers in the U.S., you can bounce around major cities to avoid media blackouts or just access your streaming platform while abroad.
We have extensively tested CyberGhost and found that it has several strong security features that enhance your privacy and security online. This VPN provider is also a no-logs VPN like Surfshark, meaning it doesn’t store any user information.
For a premium VPN service with solid servers and speeds, CyberGhost is still on the cheap end and one of the best ways to watch NBA games online. So if you’ve heard about CyberGhost and have been interested in giving it a go, we can certainly give it our seal of approval for NBA streaming.
- Very user-friendly
- High quality for a low price
- Torrents and Netflix possible
If you’d like to try out CyberGhost before committing to a subscription, you can use their 45-day money-back guarantee as a free CyberGhost trial.
3. ExpressVPN: Peak performance for NBA streaming
When it comes to using ExpressVPN, honestly, you’re not going to find a better-performing VPN provider. ExpressVPN offers servers in more countries than CyberGhost and a wider variety of payment methods compared to Surfshark and CyberGhost. This is useful if you want to stream content outside of the country you are located and cannot use your credit card to purchase a subscription.
We’ve used ExpressVPN extensively to get those NBA League Pass discounts and to unblock sports streaming platforms around the globe to watch NBA games online. It has an excellent selection of American servers, all optimized for HD live streaming, which makes this VPN one of the best ways to watch NBA games online. When you need a particular server located on the other side of the globe, the speeds and connection quality stay optimal, so you can enjoy the games in peace.
ExpressVPN has what we consider to be the simplest click-and-go interface of all VPN software. Moreover, one of its unique features is its “RAM-only servers.” By using these specialized servers, ExpressVPN cannot see your streaming history. And all your data is deleted when the servers are rebooted.
Alright, so then, what’s the catch? ExpressVPN is pricey. It can go toe-to-toe with CyberGhost or Surfshark in all VPN-related tasks, if not surpass them in performance. But it does it at a slightly higher price point. It’s up to you to decide if the Steph Curry of VPNs is worth the price tag for watching NBA streams.
- Very easy-to-use VPN
- Perfect for anonymous browsing, downloading, and streaming (i.e., Netflix)
- 3,000+ servers in 94 countries
If you want to learn more about what this VPN provider has to offer, you can take a deep dive into our ExpressVPN review.
NBA 2022-2023 Schedule
The NBA calendar for the 2022-2023 season can be found below.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Regular season start | Oct. 18, 2022 |
| All-Star Game | Feb. 19, 2023 |
| Regular season end | April 9, 2023 |
| Play-in tournament | April 11-14, 2023 |
| NBA Playoffs begin | April 15, 2023 |
| NBA Finals begin | June 1 – 18, 2023 |
Final Thoughts: Watching the NBA Online With a VPN
Though NBA League Pass is available in most countries, many pro basketball fans may already have their preferred streaming platforms. When you’re traveling, those comfortable streams can be tricky to access, thanks to geo-based restrictions. However, you can bypass these with a VPN.
If you’re trying to get your NBA stream to work so you can watch NBA games online while you’re vacationing or otherwise traveling, just remember to download a VPN like Surfshark. This VPN provider works great with any streaming platform, has excellent security features to protect your personal information online, and comes at an affordable price.
Once the NBA season is wrapped, you might be interested in checking out some other sports, too. Surfshark VPN is also capable of reaching free international streams that would otherwise be unavailable outside the country. If you want to learn more about how to watch different sporting events with a VPN, check out the articles below:
- How to Watch the UEFA Champions League from Free Online
- How to Watch the Super Bowl for Free Online
- How to Watch WWE Online From Anywhere
Got a question about live streaming the NBA from around the world? We’ve got you covered. Just click on one of the questions below for an answer.
You can watch NBA basketball through Amazon Prime with an NBA’s League Pass add-on. But you can become an NBA League Pass member without going through Amazon Prime and save big money on NBA League Pass.
You will most likely need a VPN to watch NBA online if you’re outside of the United States. Whether that’s to access American platforms like SlingTV, FuboTV or YouTube TV, or to save a bunch of money on the NBA League Pass, a VPN is going to be crucial.
There are a wide variety of VPNs to choose from, but based on our extensive Surfshark VPN review this provider is our favorite for watching the NBA. Choosing the right VPN is crucial because it will have an effect on your stream.
When it comes to sports streaming, you want a VPN that has a fast and stable connections across a sufficient server network to prevent lag and buffering during NBA games.
