You can use a VPN to connect to a different country and sign up for an NBA International League Pass that gives you access to every single game — no in-market or regional blackouts, and all the playoff games, too. I tested more than 30 services to find the best VPNs for streaming NBA games, and the top recommendation is ExpressVPN. Its blazing-fast speeds make it ideal for lag-free streaming, and its server network provides reliable connections worldwide. You can try ExpressVPN risk-free and stream the entire NBA season from anywhere. Watch the NBA with ExpressVPN
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Watch the 2023 NBA Without Cable
Stream every NBA game with ExpressVPN
Why You Need a VPN to Watch the NBA Without a Cable Subscription
The regular NBA League Pass is subject to broadcasting rights, so you can’t see every game unless you also subscribe to services like YouTube TV, DirecTV, Hulu, fuboTV, SlingTV Orange, and more — costing you a small fortune in fees. The only way to watch every NBA game without regional blackouts is with an NBA International League Pass — but you can’t sign up for one in the US, Canada, Belarus, Cuba, and some African and Middle East countries. To get unrestricted access to the NBA 2023 season, you’ll need a VPN to connect to a country where the International League Pass is available. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll have access to every game without restrictions, live or on-demand, multiple camera angles, classic archive games, NBA TV, and more. Once connected to a VPN, you’ll be able to subscribe to the NBA International League Pass. A VPN hides your IP address, masking it with another from its own server — making the NBA website think you’re in a different location. After subscribing, simply connect to a server in a country like the UK, Germany, Australia, or Japan, and you can start streaming NBA games. For the best experience, I recommend you stream NBA games with ExpressVPN. It has 3000+ servers in its global network for local connections, and its fast speeds are ideal for lag-free streaming. Watch the NBA with ExpressVPN
The Best VPNs to Watch the NBA in January 2023
1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Watching the NBA Online — Blazing-Fast Speeds With No Lag
Key Features: ExpressVPN is the top choice for streaming every NBA 2023 game due to its blazing-fast speeds that won’t cause lag or buffering while you’re watching the game. I ran multiple speed tests connected to ExpressVPN’s global server network, and my speeds were consistently fast — my average reduction was just 18% and barely noticeable to my connection. These speeds are more than enough for UltraHD streaming, meaning you get uninterrupted viewing of all the key moments during the game.
I was pleased to find I could stream NBA games on multiple platforms, like my PC, iPhone, and smart TV, as ExpressVPN has native apps for a huge range of devices. The apps are easy to download and install, so it takes almost no time (less than 5 minutes) to connect to an ExpressVPN server and start streaming. If your device doesn’t support a VPN, ExpressVPN has a MediaStreamer SmartDNS feature. This lets you change the DNS settings on devices like game consoles and older smart TVs, so you can access streaming content in other locations. While it doesn’t offer the encrypted protection of a regular VPN connection, it’s ideal for NBA games (and streaming services like Netflix US). During tests, my team and I could access the following streaming services with ExpressVPN: As ExpressVPN has more than 3000+ servers in its global network, you won’t have an issue subscribing to the International League Pass. All the servers I tested had reliable connections, with no interruptions or drops, for continuous streaming. Plus, ExpressVPN’s top-tier security ensures your data won’t leak and expose your true IP address, so you won’t have to face regional game blackouts. My only issue with ExpressVPN is its slightly premium price. Plans start at $6.67/month for a 1-year + 3 months subscription, which is a little more expensive than other options. However, I think it’s worth the extra cost for super-fast speeds and access to every NBA game. I suggest you try streaming NBA games with ExpressVPN for yourself and see if it’s right for you. You can purchase ExpressVPN with confidence, too, as the service is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied for any reason, you can get a full refund, no questions asked. I tested the process, and it was easy — a live chat agent processed my refund request in less than 3 minutes, and I had my money back in just 5 days. Stream the NBA with ExpressVPN
2. CyberGhost — Dedicated Streaming Servers to Watch the NBA From Anywhere
Key Features: CyberGhost’s optimized servers provide guaranteed connections to your sports streaming services. You can access DAZN, Hulu, Sky, Sling TV, and YouTube TV through dedicated servers to ensure you can start streaming NBA games without issue. Plus, you’ll find CyberGhost staff regularly test and update these connections, so they’re always working. You can use CyberGhost to access various other streaming services too. During my tests, my colleagues and I could stream on our local accounts with the following services: These dedicated servers are also optimized for speed, meaning you can watch the NBA 2023 season without lag or interruptions. I ran speed tests on CyberGhost’s optimized servers, and my speeds were only reduced by around 25%. If you find there isn’t an optimized server for your streaming service (or you want to purchase the International League Pass), CyberGhost’s regular servers are reliably fast on local connections. Distant servers experience more of a slowdown, so make sure you choose the nearest physical server for the best speeds. You can stream NBA games on various platforms, as CyberGhost has native apps available for many popular devices. You can also connect up to 7 devices at the same time, which is useful if you want to stream a game while your family catches up with Netflix or Disney+. If you want to use your VPN with a smart TV, game console, or another device that doesn’t support VPNs, you can use CyberGhost’s Smart DNS. This will let you change DNS settings to access streaming services in the UK, Japan, and Germany — ideal for streaming with the International League Pass. The downside to CyberGhost is that it isn’t effective at bypassing internet restrictions in countries like China, Turkey, and Iran. My colleagues often couldn’t establish a connection inside countries with tightly controlled online networks, so they couldn’t access NBA games. If you’re in a country like this, I suggest trying ExpressVPN instead — its obfuscated servers mean it can easily get around tough restrictions. Fortunately, CyberGhost is an affordable option if you want to try it yourself. Its plans start at just $2.19/month when you choose a 2-year + 2 months subscription. With its 45-day money-back guarantee, you can stream NBA games with CyberGhost risk-free. Getting a refund is easy if you change your mind. My refund took just a few minutes to arrange over the 24/7 live chat (without convincing me to stay subscribed), and I had my money back in a week. Stream the NBA with CyberGhost
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Huge Server Network Makes Streaming the NBA From Anywhere Easy
Key Features: Private Internet Access (PIA) has a huge server network ideal for streaming NBA games. With more than 35000 servers, I didn’t experience any user congestion or issues connecting to my preferred location. Plus, having so many servers in 63 countries made it easy for me to subscribe to the International League Pass and stream every NBA game. I was pleased to find PIA’s server speeds are reliably fast, especially on local servers. When connected to servers less than 5,000km away, my speeds were fast enough for lag-free NBA streaming, around 51Mbps on average. However, over long distances, I noticed more of a slowdown — a server in Australia (more than 15,000km from me) caused some lag and buffering due to high ping. I recommend connecting with a nearby server and using the WireGuard protocol to keep speeds fast. If you want consistently fast speeds worldwide, I recommend you try ExpressVPN instead. If your regular connection speeds are slower, you can configure PIA’s encryption to give yourself a speed boost for better stream quality. You can maintain high-level security and improve speeds by reducing the encryption level from AES-256-bit to AES-128-bit. This can make a noticeable difference to your NBA streaming. During tests, my team and I found PIA could easily access multiple sports and mainstream streaming services, including: I was impressed to find PIA offers 10 simultaneous device connections — you can stream NBA games while your family watches Hulu, securely shops online, or downloads torrent files. PIA supports multiple popular platforms like Windows and iOS, and you only need a single subscription to secure all of your devices. In addition to these great features, PIA is affordable. In fact, it is one of the most affordable monthly VPNs. You can also sign up for longer plans for even greater savings at just $2.19 for a 2-year + 2 months subscription. You can try streaming NBA games with PIA risk-free, as the service has a 30-day money-back guarantee. I tested the process myself and contacted the 24/7 live chat. The agent asked if they could troubleshoot any issues to avoid canceling and promptly processed my request when I confirmed I wanted my money back. I had the money returned to my account in less than a week. Stream the NBA with PIA
Using a Free VPN to Watch the NBA Isn’t a Good Idea – Here’s Why
I’ve done extensive testing on some of the top free VPNs on the market. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend any free VPNs for watching the NBA online due to data restrictions, speed limitations, and only a handful of server connections. These restrictions lead to overcrowded servers and low-quality streams — the VPN can’t allocate enough resources to help you get a stable connection. You’ll likely also have issues unblocking streaming platforms as the limited amount of IP and DNS addresses aren’t quickly replaced when a service blocks them. You can bypass all of these problems by getting a quality premium VPN like CyberGhost. Its large and secure network makes it a top choice for watching the NBA online — and CyberGhost has a generous 45-day money-back guarantee you can use as a free trial. Plus, getting your money back is easy thanks to CyberGhost’s “no questions asked” policy.
I tested the process myself, and my refund was arranged in just a couple of minutes. Best of all, I had my money back in less than a week. Try CyberGhost risk-free today
The 2023 NBA Season Schedule
Here are the key dates for the 2023 NBA season:
Where to Watch the 2023 NBA Online (Without Cable)
With a quality VPN and a good streaming service, you can easily watch the NBA online without a cable subscription. Keep in mind that many of these services are based in the US or Canada, so you may need access to a local credit card or PayPal account. You can easily get a gift card from MyGiftCardSupply.com to pay for some of the services (including Sling TV and Hulu).
How to Sign Up for the NBA International League Pass to Watch Live Games
You can sign up for an NBA International League Pass using a valid debit or credit card.
Credit Card Method
Access NBA 2023 with ExpressVPN
Can I watch the 2023 NBA season online for free?
No, there aren’t any official free online NBA broadcasters — but you can check the list of streaming providers to find one with a free trial, like YouTube TV or fuboTV. Plus, all recommended VPNs have money-back guarantees of 30 days or more. If you combine them, you can get easy access to more than 100 games with no risk. CyberGhost’s generous 45-day money-back guarantee is ideal for watching the NBA. Once you’re finished streaming, or if you change your mind about subscribing, you can get a full refund within 45 days. I tried the process myself, and it was easy — I had my money back in less than a week.
Will ABC, ESPN, or TNT stream the NBA 2023?
Yes, all 3 channels will be streaming some 2023 NBA games. However, I recommend the official NBA International League Pass for the best NBA viewing experience — you get full access to all games with no regional blackouts, mobile viewing, and high-resolution live streams and replays. You can find ABC, ESPN, and TNT on various streaming platforms listed above, including Sling TV, AT&T TV NOW, and Hulu + Live TV. It’s important to note that these channels don’t broadcast every game, and you may be subject to regional blackouts depending on your location.
Can I livestream the NBA from specific countries?
Yes, the NBA offers streams and commentary from various countries and languages worldwide. I recommend streaming NBA games using the official International League Pass, as this is available in most countries, with a few exceptions (the US, Canada, North Korea, Belarus, Cuba, and some areas of Africa and the Middle East). Here are some of the ways you can stream the NBA in specific countries:
Australia: ESPN (also accessible through the Fetch or Foxtel Go apps if you have an Optus or Foxtel subscription but requires an Australian phone number), NBA TV, and SBS (limited games) Canada: RDS (French language), Sportsnet, TSN Direct France: beIN sports Germany: DAZN, NBA TV, Spox.com (limited games) UK: Sky Sports (via the Now TV app) US: AT&T TV NOW, DAZN, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, Sportsnet, TSN Direct, and YouTube TV
How do I get around blackouts on NBA games?
You can stream every NBA 2023 season game with the NBA International League Pass. As this League Pass is for international viewers, it isn’t subject to the same local restrictions viewers in the US and Canada face. You can subscribe to the International League Pass from anywhere by connecting to a VPN server in countries like the UK, Germany, or Australia. It’s important to note that for users in Canada and the US, using a VPN to bypass regional blackouts goes against the NBA subscriber agreement. My team and I don’t condone breaking the terms and conditions, as this could result in account restrictions or termination.
How do I watch the 2023 NBA without cable?
You can watch the 2023 NBA season with the official International League Pass — all games are available online, so you don’t need a cable subscription to watch. Plus, the International League Pass has every game available to stream, so you won’t have to worry about in-market or national blackouts.
Can I watch the NBA with a free VPN?
Yes, but I don’t recommend it. Even the best free VPNs aren’t ideal for streaming NBA games as they’re too restrictive, with low data caps, a handful of servers, slow speeds, and limited bandwidth. These connections result in lagging, buffering, and a disappointing streaming experience. Some free VPNs aren’t secure and sell your online activity and personal data to third-party advertisers. This means you’ll get plenty of pop-up ads interrupting the game, or even worse — some shady free VPNs contain malware that infects your devices when you download it. Instead of a free VPN, I recommend streaming NBA games with a premium service like ExpressVPN. With ExpressVPN, you get fast speeds for buffer-free NBA streaming, unlimited data to watch every game, and access to global servers. Plus, ExpressVPN’s top-tier security and privacy features mean your data and online activity is always safe and won’t be compromised. Stream NBA games with ExpressVPN
Don’t Miss a Single Buzzer Beater and Watch the NBA Online From Anywhere!
The NBA 2023 season has heart-stopping moments as the teams slam, juke, and shoot their way to victory and the NBA Finals. With every play potentially being a game-changing one, it’s important that you use a VPN that prioritizes speed and performance. Due to its fast speeds and highly responsive servers, ExpressVPN is my #1 choice for watching the 2023 NBA season. It’s ideal for lag-free streaming, and reliable global connections mean you won’t miss a moment of the games. You can even use it to access many other sporting events, including the NFL, NHL, and the Premier League. See for yourself – you can try ExpressVPN completely risk-free, and if you’re not satisfied, you have up to 30 days to claim a refund. The refund policy is super easy (I’ve tested it myself), so there’s zero risk when signing up!
