How to watch the 2023 NBA playoffs
It's been an eventful basketball season. The NBA playoffs are in full swing and two exciting games will be on tonight: The New York Knicks will take on the Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. EDT, followed by the highly anticipated Golden State Warriors playing against the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. EDT as star players Steph Curry and LeBron James face off against each other.
These NBA conference semifinal games will determine which teams make it to the conference finals. Find out how to catch tonight's games and see who might end up as NBA champions. You don't even need a cable subscription -- just Sling TV.
Best way to get access to ESPN live:
Sling TV Orange Tier with free Amazon Fire TV stick (first month), $20 (reduced from $40)
What has happened in the NBA semifinals so far?
As a result of last night's game where the Denver Nuggets got their Game 4 win against the Phoenix Suns, we know that the Nuggets will take part in the Western Conference finals and will take on either the Lakers or the Warriors depending on how tonight's games work out. The Lakers currently lead with three wins to the Warriors' two wins, but the Warriors could tie it up tonight and they would have to move onto a seventh game to break the tie.
Meanwhile in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics managed to force a Game 7 after they beat the Philadelphia 76ers last night, tying them up 3-3. The Heat currently lead the Knicks in the series, 3-2. Tonight's game could lead to a tie or see a decisive win for Miami. (If you want to record these games tonight, Sling TV offers 50 hours of DVR storage.)
NBA conference semifinal game schedule
Don't miss a single moment of the NBA playoffs, starting with the conference semifinals tonight, which will be airing on ESPN.
Friday, May 12 (conference semifinals, all times EDT)
- Eastern Conference: No. 5 New York Knicks vs. No. 8 Miami Heat at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
- Western Conference: No. 6 Golden State Warriors vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Lakers at 10:00 p.m. on ESPN
What about the rest of the playoffs?
The NBA playoff schedule is tentative, depending on the results of the other games and which channels will end up with coverage. The conference finals are slated to begin on Tuesday, May 16, but the date may be moved up to Sunday, May 14. These games will air on ABC, ESPN and TNT, with exact details to come later. The NBA draft lottery will also begin on May 16, which will air on ESPN. Finally the NBA final will begin on Sunday, June 1 at 8:30 p.m. EDT. All games of the NBA finals 2023 will be shown on ABC.
How can I watch the 2023 NBA conference semifinals?
The best and most affordable way to watch the 2023 NBA playoff games airing on ESPN is through Sling TV. The most budget-friendly tier that includes ESPN, Orange, is only $40 a month. The Orange + Blue tier gives you access to the maximum amount of live sports, including not only ESPN but NFL Network, ABC, Fox and NBC broadcasts, for $60 per month. You'll get 50 hours of DVR storage to record all the games you want.
There's no contract. You can cancel at any time. Best of all? They're offering the first month half-off. So you only need to pay $20 right now to get access to ESPN with Sling Orange, or $30 for the Orange + Blue tier.
Don't have a smart TV to watch Sling TV on? Not a problem: Right now Sling TV is offering subscribers a free Amazon Fire TV Stick to use.
Sling TV, $20 (reduced from $40) for your first month
Hulu + Live TV bundle
It's not as affordable as Sling TV, but the Hulu + Live TV bundle has a huge library of content thanks to their partnerships with Disney and ESPN. In the bundle, both Disney+ and ESPN+ are included and it's totally ad-free. If you want it all, get the Hulu + Live TV bundle.
Sign up for the Hulu + Live TV with ESPN+ and Disney+ bundle, $70 a month
FuboTV
FuboTV is a sports-centric streaming services that has live TV events for almost every sport imaginable, including international ones, plus over 100 other channels. Did we mention that they give you 1,000 hours of DVR space as well? Get a free seven-day trial by signing up here.
FuboTV, starting at $75 a month
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV streams all the networks a sports fan could want, including NBC, Fox, ESPN and more. No matter what your viewing needs are, DirecTV Stream should have a monthly package that will serve you. Prices on DirecTV Stream services start at $65 a month for the first three months, then $75 a month thereafter.
DirecTV Stream, $65 and up per month
The best TV deals ahead of the NBA playoffs
Looking for a new television for all your sports watching needs? Watch the 2023 March Madness tournament on a smart TV. We've rounded up some great deals for the latest in high-quality TV technology.
- 85" Samsung "The Frame" QLED 4K smart TV, $2,795 (down from $4,298)
- 75" Philips LED class 4K smart Google TV, $598 (down from $668)
- 65" LG OLED class 4K B2 series smart TV, $1,497 (down from $2,300)
- 58" Hisense LED Roku smart TV, $268 (down from $338)
- 55" Samsung Q70A series 4K QLED smart TV, $749 (down from $1000)
- 53" Hisense HDR Roku smart TV, $228 (down from $258)
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