Honestly, trying to find a game these days feels like you need a law degree in media rights. Remember when you just turned on TNT on a Thursday night and called it a day? Yeah, those times are officially dead. We’re in the first year of the massive new NBA media rights cycle, and if you're sitting there wondering why your TV guide looks like a disorganized mess, you’re definitely not the only one.
The NBA where to watch situation has completely shifted for the 2025-26 season. We’ve got new players in the mix, old staples that have vanished, and a streaming landscape that's frankly a bit greedy. If you’re looking for LeBron, Steph, or Wemby, you’ve gotta know exactly which app to open before tip-off, or you'll be staring at a "content not available" screen while the first quarter disappears.
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The Big Shake-up: NBC and Amazon are Back (and New)
The biggest shocker for most fans is seeing the NBA back on NBC. It’s been over 20 years—8,532 days to be exact—since we heard that iconic "Roundball Rock" theme on the network. But it’s not just your local NBC station you need to worry about.
A huge chunk of the national schedule has moved to Peacock. For the 2025-26 season, NBC and Peacock are carrying about 100 games. This includes a heavy dose of Monday night exclusives on Peacock and Tuesday night doubleheaders that split time between the broadcast network and the streamer. If you’re a fan of a team like the San Antonio Spurs or the Golden State Warriors, you’ve probably noticed they’re all over these NBC slots because, well, ratings.
Then there’s the Amazon Prime Video factor. Friday nights are now basically Amazon nights. They’ve also snatched up a big portion of the new In-Season Tournament (now the NBA Cup) and a decent slice of the playoff pie. If you already pay for Prime to get your packages delivered, you’re set, but it’s just one more app to keep logged in.
Breaking Down the Weekly National Schedule
It’s easier if you think about it by the day of the week. This isn't a perfect science because the NBA loves a random "special presentation," but here is the general rhythm for this season:
- Mondays: It's all about Peacock. Most of these are exclusive to the streamer.
- Tuesdays: NBC (the big channel) and Peacock usually share a doubleheader.
- Wednesdays: ESPN is still holding down the fort here. This is the one place that feels "normal."
- Thursdays: This is where it gets weird. Since the NFL season is wrapping up, Amazon and NBC will start eating into the old TNT slots.
- Fridays: Prime Video is your destination.
- Weekends: A mix of ABC (usually Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons) and ESPN.
The League Pass and Blackout Headache
If you’re a die-hard who bought NBA League Pass thinking you’d see every single game, I’ve got some bad news. The "blackout" rules are still as annoying as ever. Basically, if a game is airing on a local channel in your city (like a FanDuel Sports Network or an NBC Sports RSN), League Pass will block it out.
The same goes for national games. If a game is on ESPN or NBC, League Pass won't show it live. You have to wait until the replay is available.
One thing that is cool this year? Amazon Prime Video is now a primary hub for League Pass. You can actually subscribe to League Pass through Amazon, which keeps everything in one interface. It doesn’t fix the blackouts, but it stops you from having to jump between the NBA app and your TV's input settings.
What about the "Local" fans?
This is where it gets really messy. Many of the old "Bally Sports" networks have rebranded to FanDuel Sports Network. If you live in-market for teams like the Hawks, Heat, or Mavs, you usually need a cable sub that carries these or a standalone subscription to the FanDuel Sports app.
However, teams like the Suns and the Jazz have gone "over-the-air." That means if you buy a $20 digital antenna from the store, you can actually watch their games for free on local broadcast TV. It's a "back to the future" move that fans in those cities absolutely love.
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Watching the Playoffs in 2026
As we get closer to April, the NBA where to watch question shifts toward the post-season. The rights are split three ways now.
- ESPN/ABC: They still have the Western Conference Finals this year and the NBA Finals. If you want to see the trophy hoisted, you need ABC.
- NBC/Peacock: They’ve got a massive chunk of the early rounds and one of the Conference Finals (they rotate years with Amazon).
- Amazon Prime: They are heavily involved in the play-in tournament and the first/second rounds.
It’s a lot to keep track of. If you’re a cord-cutter, the "cheapest" way to get almost everything is a combination of a digital antenna (for ABC/NBC), a Peacock sub, and a Disney+ bundle that includes ESPN.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Fan
If you just want to watch hoops without a headache, do these three things right now:
- Check your Zip Code: Go to the NBA’s official blackout checker. It sounds boring, but it’ll tell you exactly which local network owns your team's rights so you don't buy the wrong streaming package.
- Get a Digital Antenna: Seriously. With NBC and ABC carrying more games than they have in decades, a one-time $20 purchase saves you a $75/month cable bill for those specific big-game nights.
- Sync to Prime: If you use League Pass, cancel your standalone sub and re-up through Prime Video. The bit-rate is often better, and the interface is way less glitchy than the native NBA app.
The days of "one channel fits all" are over. It's a fragmented world, but once you have your logins sorted, the actual broadcast quality this year—especially the 4K feeds on Peacock—is actually a huge step up from what we had five years ago. Just make sure you've got your passwords saved.