Cut the cord and keep the NBA. It sounds impossible, but it isn't. The way NBA games reach your TV has changed a lot in the last few years, and once you see the pattern, watching basketball without a cable bill is simpler and cheaper than most people expect. Two of the biggest channels carrying games this season, ABC and NBC, are free with an over-the-air antenna.
In this guide, A Faster PC, the managed services provider serving Florida's Treasure Coast, Space Coast, and South Florida, walks you through a night-by-night cheat sheet for national NBA games, the cheapest streaming stack to catch every national game, and how fans of some local teams, including the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic, may be able to watch their team completely free. If you used our guide to watching the 2026 NBA Playoffs without cable, this is the regular-season follow-up.
Why This NBA Season Looks Different
The NBA TV setup doesn't look like it did a few years ago. National games are now split across NBC, Peacock, ESPN, ABC, and Amazon Prime Video. That sounds confusing, and that confusion is exactly why so many people keep paying for cable. It feels easier than figuring out a new system.
But once you see the pattern, it's simple: every night of the week has a home. Learn the week, and you know exactly where to look.
Night-by-Night NBA TV Schedule Cheat Sheet
Here is where national NBA games air on each night of the week:
- Monday: Peacock
- Tuesday: NBC and Peacock together
- Wednesday: ESPN
- Thursday: Amazon Prime Video
- Friday: Prime Video and ESPN
- Saturday: Prime Video in the afternoon, ABC at night
- Sunday: ABC, then NBC at night
Monday Through Wednesday: Peacock, NBC, and ESPN
The first three nights of the week belong to Peacock, NBC, and ESPN. Tuesday stands out, because NBC is a broadcast channel you can get absolutely free. Hold on to that, because free comes up again below.
Thursday and Friday: You May Already Own Prime Video
Thursday belongs to Amazon Prime Video, and Friday is split between Prime Video and ESPN. If you already pay for Amazon Prime for free shipping, you're already halfway to Thursday and Friday night basketball without spending another dime. Most people don't realize they already have it.
The Weekend: ABC and NBC Keep Showing Up
Saturday is Prime Video in the afternoon and ABC at night. Sunday is ABC, then NBC at night. Notice the pattern? ABC and NBC appear again and again throughout the week, and that's where the biggest savings are.
The Cheapest Trick: Free NBA Games With an Over-the-Air Antenna
ABC and NBC are broadcast channels, which means they're free with an over-the-air antenna. No subscription and no monthly bill. You plug it in, scan for channels, and you're watching.
A Faster PC customers have been able to pick up NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, Ion, The CW, TBN, the Home Shopping Network, and more with just an indoor antenna. You'll get even better reception with an outdoor antenna, especially if you can mount it on a 20-foot pole.
Modern Antennas Are Not 1990s Technology
A lot of people think antennas are a relic of the 1990s. Today's options include flat indoor antennas, antennas designed to go in your attic, and outdoor antennas. The picture is often sharper than cable.
The Streaming Stack for Every National NBA Game
If you want every national game, here's the stack, using the prices quoted in the video:
- Peacock: $12.99 per month
- Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle: $35.99 per month, which includes ESPN games plus the Disney+ and Hulu libraries
- Amazon Prime: $14.99 per month, and you may already have it
That's about $64 a month for every national NBA game, and you get Disney+ and Hulu thrown in for the whole family. Streaming prices change often, so confirm current pricing before you sign up.
How to Get Peacock Free With Instacart
If you have an Instacart subscription and you're not already a Peacock subscriber, you can get Peacock for free. You may need to upgrade to the $12.99 Peacock tier, but that's only a few dollars a month. If you're already paying for Instacart, take advantage of the deal.
Compare That to Your Cable Bill
Put that roughly $64 next to your current cable bill and the difference is usually obvious. The same antenna-plus-streaming approach works across sports, as we've shown in our guides to watching NFL games without cable in 2026, watching college football without cable, and watching the MLB Playoffs without cable.
Local NBA Games: The Free Over-the-Air Secret
National games are only part of the picture. Your local team's regular-season games are a different story, and for some teams that changed in a big way. For some teams, the regional sports network that previously carried their games has stopped doing so, and some of those teams are switching to airing their games for free over the air.
Miami Heat and Orlando Magic Fans Can Watch Free
The Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic are two of the teams that offer free local games through an over-the-air antenna. That's good news for Florida fans: the same antenna that pulls in ABC and NBC may also bring in your local team.
If you live in a different area, check your team's website to see whether its games are free over the air as well.
Your NBA Cord-Cutting Game Plan
- Get an over-the-air antenna for ABC, NBC, and possibly your local team.
- Add Peacock, the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle, and Amazon Prime for national games.
- Cancel cable.
A Faster PC has helped customers save over $170 a month, and some have saved $200 a month by cutting the cord.
Frequently Asked Questions About Watching the NBA Without Cable
What channels and streaming services show NBA games this season?
National NBA games are now split across NBC, Peacock, ESPN, ABC, and Amazon Prime Video. Each night of the week has a regular home: Monday is Peacock, Tuesday is NBC and Peacock, Wednesday is ESPN, Thursday is Prime Video, and Friday is Prime Video and ESPN. Saturday is Prime Video in the afternoon and ABC at night, and Sunday is ABC, then NBC at night.
Can I watch NBA games for free with an antenna?
Yes. ABC and NBC are broadcast channels, so any NBA games they carry are free with an over-the-air antenna. There's no subscription and no monthly bill. You plug the antenna in, scan for channels, and start watching.
What is the cheapest way to watch every national NBA game without cable?
Combine Peacock ($12.99 a month), the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle ($35.99 a month), and Amazon Prime ($14.99 a month). That comes to about $64 a month for every national game, and it includes Disney+ and Hulu for the family. Add a free antenna for ABC and NBC, and check current prices before subscribing.
Can I get Peacock for free with Instacart?
If you have an Instacart subscription and aren't already a Peacock subscriber, you can get Peacock for free. You may need to upgrade to the $12.99 Peacock tier, which costs only a few dollars more a month. If you already pay for Instacart, it's an easy way to cover Monday and Tuesday NBA games.
Are Miami Heat and Orlando Magic games free over the air?
Yes. The Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic are two of the teams that now offer free local games through an over-the-air antenna after their regional sports network stopped carrying games. If you follow a different team, check that team's website to see whether its games are free over the air too.
Do I need an outdoor antenna, or will an indoor antenna work?
Many A Faster PC customers pick up NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, Ion, The CW, and more with an indoor antenna. An outdoor antenna gives even better reception, especially mounted on a 20-foot pole. Modern options also include flat indoor antennas and attic antennas, and the picture is often sharper than cable.
Who can set up an antenna and streaming for me on the Treasure Coast, Space Coast, or South Florida?
A Faster PC sets up antennas, streaming services, and home networks for homes and businesses across Florida's Treasure Coast, Space Coast, and South Florida. Customers have saved over $170 a month by cutting the cord, and some have saved $200 a month. Call 772-878-5978 or schedule a discovery call at https://www.afasterpc.com/discoverycall/.
About A Faster PC
A Faster PC is the leading managed services provider (MSP) serving Florida's Treasure Coast, Space Coast, and South Florida. A Faster PC provides responsive IT support, advanced cybersecurity solutions, cloud backup, disaster recovery, breach remediation, patch management, computer repair, and technical support for accounting offices, attorneys' offices, medical offices, dental offices, professional offices, small- to medium-sized businesses, non-profits, churches, home office users, and individuals throughout the regions. We help our clients cut costs in their Internet, TV, and telephone bills and in business operations.
Every week at 10:07 AM EST, A Faster PC hosts A Faster PC Live Technical Support, which is a live Radio Show that is livestreamed to YouTube and Facebook and is available as a podcast. Visit our Live Technical Support page for various ways to schedule a technical support session and for various ways to listen to and watch A Faster PC Live Technical Support.
A Faster PC services the following counties and cities: St. Lucie County including: Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, St. Lucie West, Tradition, St. Lucie Village; Martin County including: Stuart, Jensen Beach, Jupiter Island, Ocean Breeze Park, and Sewall's Point; Indian River County: including Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere, Indian River Shores; Palm Beach County including: Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Juno Beach, Tequesta, Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Shores, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Greenacres, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana, Boynton Beach, Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, Gulf Stream, Delray Beach, Highland Beach, and Boca Raton; Broward County including: Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Davie, Plantation, Sunrise, Deerfield Beach, Lauderhill, Weston, Tamarac, Coconut Creek, Margate, Lauderdale Lakes, Oakland Park, Hallandale Beach, Cooper City, Wilton Manors, Lighthouse Point, Parkland, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Sea Ranch Lakes, Lazy Lake, Hillsboro Beach, Southwest Ranches, North Lauderdale, Dania Beach; Miami-Dade County including: Miami, Miami Beach, Hialeah, Miami Gardens, Coral Gables, Homestead, Doral, North Miami, Aventura, Kendall, Cutler Bay, Sunny Isles Beach, Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, Surfside, Bal Harbour, North Miami Beach, Palmetto Bay, Miami Springs, Opa-locka, Miami Lakes, Florida City, South Miami, Sweetwater, West Miami, Bay Harbor Islands, Biscayne Park, El Portal, Golden Beach, Hialeah Gardens, Indian Creek, Medley, North Bay Village, and Virginia Gardens; and Okeechobee County including: Okeechobee, Taylor Creek, Cypress Quarters, Fort Drum, and Basinger.
Watch the full video here: Don't Miss a Single NBA Game: The Best Ways to Stream Without Cable.
Cut the Cord With A Faster PC on the Treasure Coast, Space Coast, and South Florida
If setting up an antenna or picking a streaming service sounds like a headache, that's exactly what we do. A Faster PC sets up antennas, streaming services, and home networks for homes and businesses across Florida's Treasure Coast, Space Coast, and South Florida, so everything just works.
Call A Faster PC at 772-878-5978 or visit https://www.AFasterPC.com. While you're there, schedule a discovery call with Bryan to talk about what you want to watch. Together, we'll find the solution that lets you watch what you want, cut the cord, save money, and keep the NBA.
