NBA Playoffs 2025: TV Channel, Game Times and How to Watch or Stream Today’s Games
The Cleveland Cavaliers won 64 games in the regular season to capture the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Now, they find themselves with their backs against the wall after dropping the first two games at home against the Indiana Pacers. Game 3 between these two Midwest rivals tips off tonight in Indiana at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT).
Next, we move out west for Game 3 between the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder, starting at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT). The Nuggets managed to steal Game 1 in Oklahoma City before the Thunder rebounded in Game 2 to tie the series.
The biggest game of the weekend will take place at Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks have the defending champion Boston Celtics on the ropes. The Knicks overcame a 20-point second-half deficit in each of the first two games in Boston to go up 2-0 in the series. The Garden will be rocking for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream the NBA playoffs.
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks head home with a 2-0 series lead against the Boston Celtics.
Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesWhat is the NBA playoffs schedule for today?
Here is the schedule for today and through next Monday (all times ET):
Friday, May 9
- Game 3: Cavaliers at Pacers, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
- Game 3: Thunder at Nuggets, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Saturday, May 10
- Game 3: Celtics at Knicks, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
- Game 3: Timberwolves at Warriors, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)
Sunday, May 11
- Game 4: Thunder at Nuggets, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
- Game 4: Cavaliers at Pacers, 8 p.m. (TNT, TruTV, Max)
Monday, May 12
- Game 4: Celtics at Knicks, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
- Game 4: Timberwolves at Warriors, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
What does the NBA playoff bracket look like?
Eight teams remain in the hunt for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Here are the matchups for round 2:
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers (Pacers lead series 2-0)
- No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 3 New York Knicks (Knicks lead series 2-0)
Western Conference
- No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets (series tied 1-1)
- No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State Warriors (series tied 1-1)
How to watch the NBA playoffs
The NBA playoffs will be shown across ABC, ESPN and TNT/TruTV. You can watch the games with a cable subscription or a live TV streaming service.
Three of the five major services offer all four channels. Fubo lacks TNT, which shows a big portion of the NBA playoffs, making Fubo a poor choice for hoops fans. You can also watch the TNT/TruTV broadcasts of playoff games with Max.
YouTube TV costs $83 per month and includes all four channels needed to watch every game of the NBA playoffs. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
Hulu with Live TV costs $83 per month and includes ABC, ESPN, TNT and TruTV. Click the “View channels in your area” link on its welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your ZIP code.
Sling TV’s Orange-and-Blue plan for $61 a month includes ABC, ESPN, TNT and TruTV. For games on ABC, however, you’ll need to live in one of the few markets where Sling offers ABC. And the NBA Finals will be broadcast on ABC, so you won’t want to be left without it when June rolls around.
You need the $17-a-month Standard plan to watch live sports on Max. (Either that or the $21-a-month Premium plan that adds 4K streaming.) Max will show the TNT/TruTV broadcasts for the NBA playoffs. With just Max, however, you’ll miss games on ABC and ESPN.
All the live TV streaming services above allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.
