Countless cable television providers broadcast the NBA Finals across the globe. In the United States, you’ll need access to ABC or ESPN to watch the NBA Finals. If you’re outside the US, you can still access your ABC or ESPN accounts using a VPN. You can do this by following these steps:
- Download a VPN of your choice. We recommend ExpressVPN for streaming American sports.
- Open the VPN and log in if prompted.
- Connect to an American server.
- Log into your account on ABC or ESPN.
- Live stream the 2021 NBA Finals!
We know many consumers have cut the cord and steered away from bundled, long-term contract cable providers and toward subscription services that may not carry the NBA. You can also access the NBA Finals through a no-contracts provider like YouTube TV or FuboTV while using a VPN. Read the full article below to find out more.
The road to the 2021 NBA Finals has been a winding, arduous one full of shocks and upsets. The playoffs were plagued with strains, tears, and tweaks that helped shape the Finals — with Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Chris Paul all experiencing playoff-limiting injuries.
Now, we’re left with a best-of-seven that has many fans wide-eyed. The two teams left standing and set to square off in Game 1 Tuesday — the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks — are in serious title slumps. For the Suns, it’s their third Finals appearance in 53 seasons as a franchise. They last played for the title in 1993, and have never won a championship ring. As for the Bucks, they haven’t claimed an NBA title since 1971.
With Milwaukee star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting for two games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks after hyperextending his left knee, it’s unknown how many games he’ll be able to play against the Suns, if any. It seems sportsbooks have factored in this injury as well. DraftKings has installed the Suns as a -185 favorite, with the Bucks marked as +150 underdogs.
Game 1 is slated for Tuesday at 9:00 pm EST (01:00 UCT) in Phoenix, Arizona.
How to Watch the 2021 NBA Finals from Anywhere
In the United States, the NBA is one of the top three most-watched sports. There are lots of licensing deals with different television channels and providers throughout the season, and plenty of opportunities to catch an NBA game at bars, restaurants or around the house.
But licensing and broadcasting rights are specific to each country that wants to carry the NBA. Most television service providers include the NBA in their premium packages on special sports channels like Sport 5 in Israel, beINSports in France and MEGOGO in Russia.
If you’re visiting a country abroad, your home subscription service might not work due to your physical location. So how do you make sure your basketball is unblocked in time for tip-off?
Fortunately, this problem can be solved pretty quickly. You’re going to need to take two steps:
- You’ll need to get a VPN. A VPN allows you to take on a new IP address from anywhere in the world, which unblocks all kinds of geo-specific content, all in a matter of seconds.
- Once you’ve got a VPN, you’ll need to log in to your subscription service provider that has the NBA Finals.
If you’ve already got a VPN and want to get started right away, take a look at the main providers below that are broadcasting the NBA Finals in English. If you need some more guidance on VPNs, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how to download the best one for streaming later in the article.
American broadcast: NBA Finals on ABC and ESPN Watch
For the 2021 NBA Finals, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) has exclusive American licensing rights. Since the Walt Disney Company now owns both ABC and ESPN, you can catch live streams from both through your cable service provider. This is the same for basketball fans outside the US with access to ESPN — Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and New Zealand, for example — they can watch the NBA Finals through ESPN accounts.
With the cord-cutting movement, many consumers are also moving away from traditional cable companies and opting for streaming subscription services for their sports and entertainment content. Even if you sign up for ESPN+ or Disney+, however, you still won’t stream the NBA Finals. You’ve got to stream through ESPN or ABC apps and services directly, which still requires a cable service provider.
Fortunately, there’s a way around this. And with the right timing, you can even stream the NBA Finals for free with a seven-day trial.
There are two great US-based online subscription services, namely YouTube TV and FuboTV, that provide access to ABC, ESPN, and a host of other channels. These providers aren’t cheap (they cost around $65 a month) but they offer free trials you can cancel anytime. To register for the trial, you’ll just need to set your VPN to an American IP address and use a valid method of payment. YouTube TV has recently started accepting PayPal as payment as well. FuboTV will only take a valid credit card.
British broadcast: NBA Finals on Sky Sports
Another English-language broadcast option is Sky Sports, the UK’s official channel for live sports. To access the service, you’ll need a UK IP address, or a VPN with a UK server.
If you’re a non-Sky subscriber, you can follow the NBA Finals action with the contract-free NOW TV pass option.
The NOW TV pass costs £33.99 per month (about $47), or you can sign up for a day pass (24-hour access to all Sky Sports Channels) at £9.99 per day (about $14). If you don’t mind a long-term contract, you can even get a full Sky Sports subscription. With a full subscription, you’ll have access to the NBA and any other sports they carry, including racing, international soccer, and boxing.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Watch the NBA Finals with a VPN
If you’re new to VPNs, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to download one that’s good for sports streaming. Once you’ve downloaded the VPN and chosen one of the above providers, you’ll be watching the NBA Finals action in no time, no matter where you are in the world. Just follow these steps:
- Choose a good streaming VPN provider. When it comes to streaming NBA (or any sport for that matter), we recommend ExpressVPN. This provider is one of the best out there, with fast connections and ample servers that let you watch any stream from anywhere in the world uninterrupted.
- Register with your VPN provider by following their steps. Add a payment method.
- Download the VPN software on your device. This can be your laptop, phone, or tablet. VPNs also work on your Smart TV.
- Open the VPN software. Now log in with the info you created for your account.
- Choose the right server location to connect to. If you want to register through YouTube TV or FuboTV, choose a USA server. For Sky Sports, you need to select a UK server.
- Connect to the server and go to your stream of preference. Enjoy the Bucks and Suns games!
Though YouTube TV now accepts Paypal, you may need a country-specific payment method when signing up for free trials and subscription services. Also, if you sign up through your Google account, you may give away your location. These kinds of providers often require valid zip codes to register.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Phoenix Suns NBA Finals Schedule
Depending on where you are in the world, the first Bucks vs Suns game will be either on Tuesday or Wednesday. You can find the schedule of the full finals, adjusted to different timezones, below.
| Matchup and Location | Date and Time (EST) | Date and Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| Bucks at Suns in Phoenix | Tuesday 06-07-2021 (9:00 pm) | Wednesday 07-07-2021 (01:00 am) |
| Bucks at Suns in Phoenix | Thursday 08-07-2021 (9:00 pm) | Friday 09-07-2021 (01:00 am) |
| Suns at Bucks in Milwaukee | Sunday 11-07-2021 (8:00 pm) | Monday 12-07-2021 (00:00 am) |
| Suns at Bucks in Milwaukee | Wednesday 14-07-2021 (9:00 pm) | Thursday 15-07-2021 (01:00 am) |
| Bucks at Suns in Phoenix (If necessary) | Saturday 17-07-2021 (9:00 pm) | Sunday 18-07-2021 (01:00 am) |
| Suns at Bucks in Milwaukee (If necessary) | Tuesday 20-07-2021 (9:00 pm) | Wednesday 21-07-2021 (01:00 am) |
| Bucks at Suns in Phoenix (If necessary) | Friday 22-07-2021 (9:00 pm) | Saturday 23-07-2021 (01:00 am) |
