Where to Watch the 2026 NBA Finals on TV

The 2026 NBA Finals broadcast live on ABC and ESPN — the same television rights package that has covered the Finals for more than two decades. ABC carries the primary national broadcast while ESPN handles alternate programming, pregame shows, and postgame analysis.

To find your local ABC affiliate channel number, visit abc.com and use the station finder with your ZIP code. On most cable and satellite systems, ABC is between channels 7 and 13. ESPN is typically in the 25 to 45 range depending on your provider.

• Cable (Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox): ABC and ESPN are included in standard tiers — no sports add-on required.
• Satellite (DirecTV, Dish): Both channels are part of standard programming packages in every region.
• Spanish broadcast: ESPN Deportes carries a full Spanish-language feed of every Finals game on the same schedule.

Game tip-off times are typically 8:30 PM ET. Weekend games sometimes start at 8:00 PM ET. Check confirmed times at nba.com/schedule before each game — broadcast schedules occasionally shift by 15 to 30 minutes based on network programming.

How to Stream the NBA Finals Without Cable

Multiple live TV streaming services carry both ABC and ESPN, and a free over-the-air antenna picks up ABC in nearly every US market. Here are your options in order of completeness:

1. YouTube TV — Includes ABC and ESPN in the base plan with no sports add-ons needed. Available on smart TVs, Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, iOS, and Android. Visit tv.youtube.com for current pricing.
2. Hulu + Live TV — Includes ABC and ESPN plus the Disney+ and ESPN+ bundle in one package. One of the most complete sports streaming options available. Visit hulu.com/live-tv for current pricing.
3. FuboTV — Sports-focused streaming service with ABC (via local affiliate) and ESPN. Strong option for households that watch multiple sports leagues. Visit fubo.tv for current pricing.
4. Sling TV Orange — Includes ESPN 1 and 2 at a lower monthly cost than competitors. Add the Broadcast Extra add-on for local ABC access in supported markets.
5. ESPN App — If you subscribe to any of the services above, the ESPN app lets you authenticate and stream on any device: smart TVs, phones, tablets, Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV.
6. Free OTA antenna — A $25 to $40 indoor antenna picks up ABC in full HD in most US cities at no monthly cost. This is the most cost-effective option if you only need ABC. Search for your local ABC affiliate signal strength at antennaweb.org.

Before signing up for any streaming service, check for free trial offers. Most major platforms offer a 7-day trial — enough to cover one or two Finals games at no cost.

How to Get NBA Finals Tickets at Madison Square Garden

Attending a Knicks home game during the NBA Finals is one of the most sought-after sports experiences in New York. Here is a step-by-step approach to getting in:

1. Check official channels first: Go to ticketmaster.com or msg.com. Any team-released inventory and face-value tickets appear here before anywhere else. Sign up for the Knicks mailing list at nba.com/knicks to receive early access and waitlist notifications when tickets drop.
2. Use secondary markets with buyer guarantees: StubHub (stubhub.com) and SeatGeek (seatgeek.com) are the most reliable resale platforms. Both offer buyer guarantees protecting against counterfeit or invalid tickets. Use the interactive seat map to find value in specific sections.
3. Set a price alert on StubHub: Click Track this event on the Finals listing to receive email notifications when prices drop in your target section. Prices often fall in the 24 to 48 hours before a game if inventory remains.
4. Target upper-level sections for value: MSG's 400-level sections provide a complete view of the full court and carry the most affordable resale prices. Mid-court sections 401 through 420 offer solid sightlines without the premium attached to lower-bowl seats.
5. Avoid street scalpers: Only buy through platforms with buyer guarantees. Tickets purchased from individuals outside MSG cannot be verified and carry a real risk of fraud at the gate.
6. Check group packages: MSG occasionally offers group hospitality packages through msg.com/groups that include pre-game access and bundled food and beverage credits.

Budget guide: Upper-level seats start around $150 to $200 for early-series games. Lower-bowl seats start around $500. Courtside and club sections can reach $3,000 or more for Games 6 and 7. Factor in platform fees of 20 to 30 percent on top of the listed price.

The NBA Finals Schedule and 2-2-1-1-1 Format Explained

The NBA Finals uses a 2-2-1-1-1 home-court format, distributing games between the two cities across the series. If the Knicks hold home-court advantage as the higher-seeded team, the game distribution looks like this:

• Games 1 and 2: Madison Square Garden, New York
• Games 3 and 4: At the opposing team's home arena
• Game 5: Back at Madison Square Garden
• Game 6: At the opposing team's arena
• Game 7 (if needed): Madison Square Garden — decisive game on home court

The series runs roughly every other night, with a travel day built in when the location switches between cities. Standard tip-off time is 8:30 PM ET. The Finals begin in early June and can extend into late June if the series reaches seven games.

Bookmark nba.com/schedule for the full updated schedule. The NBA confirms dates, tip-off times, and broadcast assignments for each upcoming game as the previous game concludes.

Best Places to Watch in NYC Without a Ticket

If MSG tickets are out of reach, New York City has dozens of sports bars and several official watch events for every Finals game. Here are reliable options across the city:

Sports Bars Near MSG

• Bounce Sporting Club (Midtown) — Multiple large screens and a reliably energetic Knicks crowd for every playoff game.
• Tonic East (Murray Hill) — A proven playoff bar with comprehensive screen coverage throughout the space.
• Stout NYC (Midtown West) — Two floors of screen coverage; expect a standing-room crowd well before tip-off on Finals nights.
• The Ainsworth (Chelsea and Midtown locations) — Sports-focused with full-game audio and good food options for longer viewing sessions.

Official Viewing Events

• Rally at the Garden: MSG typically organizes a free outdoor viewing setup on 7th Avenue for non-ticket holders during home games. Check nba.com/knicks closer to each game date for announcements.
• NYC Parks events: Check nycgovparks.org for any borough-organized outdoor watch parties. The city has hosted public viewing events for major Knicks playoff runs in the past.

Arrive at least 45 minutes before tip-off. Sports bars near MSG fill completely for Finals games and many will require a reservation or enforce a cover charge after 7:30 PM ET. Call ahead or use OpenTable to confirm seating availability.

Trump, the Knicks, and the Cultural Moment

A significant driver of search volume around the Knicks NBA Finals is President Donald Trump's long, publicly documented connection to the New York Knicks. Trump attended games at Madison Square Garden over many decades as one of New York City's most recognized public figures, appearing in courtside photographs from the 1980s through the 2010s.

With the Knicks reaching the 2026 Finals — their first appearance since the 1999 championship series — the convergence of sports history and political media has created a genuinely unusual cultural moment. Several factors are amplifying the trend:

• Presidential attendance spotlight: Any sitting president who attends a major sporting event draws substantial media and security coverage, making the prospect of Trump at MSG a major story in both sports and news outlets.
• New York identity: The Knicks are one of the defining symbols of New York City's cultural identity, and Trump's long association with the city makes the connection natural for both supporters and critics.
• Social media reach: Statements or reactions from Trump regarding the series — whether supportive or political — spread quickly through sports media, amplifying search volume far beyond the typical basketball audience.

For fans focused on the games, none of this background noise changes how to watch or attend. Broadcast rights, ticket markets, and streaming services operate independently of political coverage. The guide above covers everything needed to follow the series regardless of off-court storylines.

How to Follow the Series If You Cannot Watch Live

Not every Finals game will fit into your schedule. These tools let you stay fully current on every Knicks game without watching live from start to finish:

1. NBA App (free, iOS and Android) — Live play-by-play, quarter score push alerts, and highlight clips. Go to Settings then Notifications then My Teams and select the Knicks to receive alerts for scoring runs, lead changes, and final scores.
2. ESPN App — Enable NBA Finals game alerts to receive notifications for tip-off, major plays, and final scores. The app also surfaces highlight reels within minutes of each big play.
3. X (formerly Twitter) @nyknicks — The official Knicks account posts highlight clips within two to three minutes of each notable play. Following this account during a game gives a near-real-time summary even without live video.
4. ESPN.com box scores — Full play-by-play logs, shot charts, and player stat lines are available within 15 minutes of the final buzzer at espn.com/nba.
5. NBA League Pass condensed games — Subscribers can watch a 30-minute condensed replay of any Finals game. This lets you catch up the next morning and still experience the key moments without sitting through the full broadcast.

To stay spoiler-free before watching: turn off push notifications from news apps, mute team hashtags on social media, and activate the NBA app's spoiler-free mode under Settings to hide scores until you tap to reveal them. Then watch the condensed game before checking any sports feed.