The NBA season tips off on Tuesday, October 21st, with four of the top teams in action, before the rest of the league debuts in the days that follow.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

For the first time since 2002, NBA basketball will air on NBC. If you were a ’90s kid, John Tesh’s iconic “Roundball Rock ” was the soundtrack of your basketball-watching experience, the perfect melodic intro that remains synonymous with hoops.

Here's how to watch 2025-26 NBA games online without cable, including ways to livestream basketball for free this season.