How and Where To Watch NBA Season 2022-23

By Rich Calder

Get ready to watch a slam dunk of an NBA season.

It’s been four months since Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors held off the Boston Celtics in a riveting NBA Finals to win their fourth championship in eight seasons.

And while the Warriors and Celtics are expected to be championship contenders again during the 2022–2023 season when NBA play tips off October 18, the field is as wide open as it’s been in decades. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers are all expected to compete for a title—and that doesn’t even include other teams worth watching with superstars like the Luka Doncic–led Dallas Mavericks and LeBron James–led Los Angeles Lakers.

The NBA’s 75th anniversary season promises viewers more ways than ever to watch games live—including cord-cutting fans seeking to stream the action on their home TVs, mobile devices and tablets.

Here’s the game plan on how best to watch each club’s 82-game regular season from now through April 9, 2023.

Broadcast, streaming and cable services for the ultimate NBA superfan 

For dedicated streamers, services like NBA League Pass, DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, Hulu Live and YouTube TV are the only way to go. However, you’ll need to have a digital antenna to catch the games on ABC.

NBA TV will air up to another 100 games that will be blacked out by NBA League Pass but can be picked up by other streaming services.

When you’re streaming NBA games, make sure your internet service is fit for the job. Fiber optic internet service—with ultrafast speed and capacity for the bandwidth you need—is ideal, if it’s available to you.

Viewers can turn to regional sports networks to watch most of their favorite local team’s games. ESPN, TNT, ABC and NBA TV will also offer a wide variety of games to be nationally televised.

ESPN will televise 82 games, while its parent network ABC will broadcast another 19 over the air on free TV. TNT is expected to air another 65 national games.

Must-see primetime games during opening week 

The regular season tips off Tuesday, October 18, with a doubleheader on TNT, as the 76ers visit the reigning Eastern Conference champion Celtics (7:30 p.m. EST) and the defending NBA champion Warriors receive their championship rings before hosting the Lakers (10 p.m. EST).

ESPN will tip off its schedule the next evening with a doubleheader featuring RJ Barrett and the New York Knicks visiting Ja Morant and the Grizzlies in the early game (7:30 p.m. EST), which will be followed by Chris Paul and the Suns welcoming Doncic and the Mavericks (10 p.m. EST).

5 key NBA games to keep an eye on

1. December 10 – The Warriors welcome the Celtics in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals (ABC, 8:30 p.m. EST).

2. December 25 – A slate of five Christmas Day games will be nationally televised on various networks. Action begins with the 76ers visiting the Knicks at 12 noon EST and concludes with the Suns visiting the Denver Nuggets at 10:30 p.m.

3. January 16, 2023 – The Heat led by Jimmy Butler visit the Atlanta Hawks with their dynamic new backcourt of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray to tip off at 3:30 p.m. EST. It’s part of TNT’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day doubleheader. In the nightcap, the Grizzlies host the Suns at 6 p.m. EST.

4. January 28, 2023 – Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets visit Joel Embiid and the 76ers (ABC, 3 p.m. EST). Jokic has edged out Embiid for Most Valuable Player the past two seasons.

5. February 19, 2023 – The NBA hosts its 30th annual All-Star Game in Salt Lake City. It’s part of a larger weekend that includes the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and other festivities (TNT, start time TBD).

Program availability may have changed and is subject to change. Streaming services may require a subscription and sometimes an additional fee.