Where to Watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs: Every Channel, Platform & Game
NBA playoffs start April 18 on ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Prime Video. No TNT this season. Full Game 1 schedule, what you need, and how to watch without cable.
Quick answer: The 2026 NBA Playoffs start April 18 on ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, and Prime Video. TNT no longer carries NBA games. The Play-In Tournament (April 14–17) is exclusive to Prime Video. The NBA Finals begin June 3 on ABC.
The 2026 NBA postseason runs under a brand-new broadcast deal — no TNT for the first time in over 20 years. Games now split across three partners: ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video. If you've been watching the same way for years, some things have changed.
Here's everything you need to know before tip-off.
When do the 2026 NBA Playoffs start?
The Play-In Tournament runs April 14–17, exclusively on Prime Video. The first round of the NBA Playoffs begins Saturday, April 18.
Key dates for the full postseason:
| Round | Dates | Channels |
|---|---|---|
| Play-In Tournament | April 14–17 | Prime Video (exclusive) |
| First Round | April 18 – May ~3 | ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, Prime Video |
| Second Round | May ~5–18 | ABC, ESPN, NBC/Peacock, Prime Video |
| Eastern Conference Finals | May 19+ | ESPN / ABC (exclusive) |
| Western Conference Finals | May 20+ | NBC / Peacock (exclusive) |
| NBA Finals | June 3–19 | ABC (exclusive) |
What channel are the NBA Playoffs on?
Games are split across four platforms this season:
Amazon Prime Video carries all six Play-In Tournament games and approximately 17 first-round games and 9 second-round games. You need an Amazon Prime subscription ($139/year or $14.99/month) to watch.
ABC and ESPN carry selected games in every round and have the Eastern Conference Finals exclusively. All NBA Finals games air on ABC at 8:30 PM ET.
NBC and Peacock carry selected first and second-round games and have the Western Conference Finals exclusively in 2026. NBC games also stream live on Peacock ($7.99/month with ads).
What happened to TNT?
TNT lost its NBA broadcast rights after the 2024–25 season. The 2026 playoffs are the first postseason in over 20 years without TNT coverage. Games that previously aired on TNT now split across NBC, Peacock, ABC, ESPN, and Prime Video. If your streaming bundle includes TNT but not the other networks, you will need to add subscriptions.
First Round Game 1 Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Apr 18 | 1:00 PM | Raptors @ Cavaliers | Prime Video |
| Sat, Apr 18 | 3:30 PM | Timberwolves @ Nuggets | Prime Video |
| Sat, Apr 18 | 6:00 PM | Hawks @ Knicks | Prime Video |
| Sat, Apr 18 | 8:30 PM | Rockets @ Lakers | ABC |
| Sun, Apr 19 | 1:00 PM | TBD @ Celtics | ABC |
| Sun, Apr 19 | 3:30 PM | TBD @ Thunder | ABC |
| Sun, Apr 19 | 6:30 PM | TBD @ Pistons | NBC / Peacock |
| Sun, Apr 19 | 9:00 PM | TBD @ Spurs | NBC / Peacock |
The four TBD matchups (Celtics, Thunder, Pistons, Spurs opponents) are determined by the Play-In Tournament results on April 14–17.
Games 2–7 of each series are announced after each round concludes. The full playoff schedule updates automatically as games are confirmed.
Your team's local channel does not carry playoffs
This catches a lot of fans off guard. During the regular season, most NBA games air on your team's local RSN — Spectrum SportsNet for the Lakers, Bally Sports for various teams, NBC Sports Bay Area for the Warriors, and so on. None of those channels carry a single playoff game. Every postseason game is a national broadcast.
If you subscribed to FuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, or another live TV service specifically to get your team's local RSN, you can still watch playoff games through those services as long as they carry ABC, ESPN, or NBC. But the RSN feed itself goes dark for the postseason.
What you need to watch every playoff game
To watch every 2026 NBA Playoff game you need access to all three broadcast partners:
Amazon Prime Video — required for the entire Play-In Tournament and a large portion of the first and second rounds. If you have Amazon Prime for shipping, you already have this. If not, it's $14.99/month or $139/year.
ESPN and ABC — available via Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, or directly through the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited subscription ($29.99/month). ABC is also available over-the-air with an antenna in most markets.
NBC and Peacock — NBC is available over-the-air with an antenna. For streaming, Peacock costs $7.99/month with ads or $13.99/month ad-free. Most live TV streaming services (YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, FuboTV) include NBC.
The most complete single option is YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV combined with an Amazon Prime subscription. Either live TV service covers ABC, ESPN, and NBC/Peacock. Add Prime separately for the Play-In and Prime Video playoff games.
How to watch the NBA Playoffs without cable
Cable is not required to watch any playoff game. Here are the main options:
YouTube TV ($72.99/month) includes ABC, ESPN, and NBC. Add Amazon Prime separately for Prime Video games.
Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/month) includes ABC, ESPN, NBC, and a Disney+ and Hulu subscription. Add Amazon Prime separately.
FuboTV ($84.99/month) includes ABC, ESPN, and NBC. Add Amazon Prime separately.
Peacock alone ($7.99/month) covers NBC/Peacock games only. You would still need a separate way to watch ABC/ESPN games and Prime Video games.
Antenna + Prime Video is the lowest-cost approach. A basic HD antenna ($20–$40) picks up ABC and NBC over-the-air in most markets. Add Amazon Prime ($14.99/month) for Play-In and Prime Video games. You would miss ESPN-exclusive games with this setup.
Is the NBA Finals on Netflix?
No. The 2026 NBA Finals air exclusively on ABC, starting June 3 at 8:30 PM ET. Netflix does not carry any NBA playoff games.
Is NBA League Pass available during the playoffs?
No. NBA League Pass covers out-of-market regular season games only. It does not include playoff games.
Follow your team's playoff schedule
Each team page on HowToWatchMyTeam shows the current series matchup, series record, next game date and time, and which network it's on. Find your team:
- Boston Celtics playoffs
- Oklahoma City Thunder playoffs
- Detroit Pistons playoffs
- Cleveland Cavaliers playoffs
- New York Knicks playoffs
- San Antonio Spurs playoffs
- Denver Nuggets playoffs
- Los Angeles Lakers playoffs
Or see all 30 teams on the NBA page and the full 2026 NBA Playoffs guide.
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Platform news, streaming guides, and broadcast updates for MLB and NFL fans. The official voice of HowToWatchMyTeam.com.