The NBA is back and back with a bang, with opening night delivering a couple of stunning upsets as the Clippers took home bragging rights over local rivals the Lakers, after the Brooklyn Nets had shown what they’s capable of against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Tonight, we turn to an eagerly anticipated showdown in the East as two of the pre-season conference favorites tip-off. Here’s how to watch a Bucks vs Celtics live stream and watch the NBA online wherever you are in the world right now
The Celtics nearly went all the way to the NBA Finals last season, losing 4-2 to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in a closely fought conference final. They’ve maintained the nucleus of that young, exciting team with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart all back this season alongside All-Star Kemba Walker and underrated big man Daniel Theis.
Of the team’s key players, only Gordon Hayward is playing else for the 2020/21 season – but fans will feel coach Brad Stevens and GM Danny Ainge adequately offset that loss by signing Tristan Thompson.
Led by Giannis ‘The Greek Freak’ Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are again being touted as the team to beat in the East – largely because the 2019/20 league MVP is singularly unplayable. But they too fell to the Heat in last season’s playoffs, narrowly avoiding a sweep 4-1. This year, they’ll know they can’t rely on Giannis alone to carry them to glory and will be asking more of key role players like Khris Middleton.
As ever when these two teams meet, expect an exciting, passionate game that could go either way. Read on as we explain how to watch Bucks vs Celtics online and get an NBA live stream today.
How to watch NBA blackout games and stream from abroad
Scroll down for a guide to NBA live streaming services all over the world, but first, know that if you can’t watch an NBA game on your usual TV channel or streaming service, it might be due to a coverage blackout (in the US) or a geo-blocking restriction (in international markets).
Both can stop you from watching the coverage you want and most likely pay for, especially with many games being shown on national TV.
When either of these are the case, the simplest and most reliable solution is to use a VPN service to change your IP address to a difference location. This will generally let you tune in to your local coverage, just as you would from home, and means you don’t have to trawl the sketchier corners of the internet for an illegal stream.
Use a VPN to watch NBA basketball online from anywhere
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Bucks vs Celtics live stream: how to watch NBA online in the US
The Bucks vs Celtics game is being shown nationally by TNT. If you have it on cable, great – just head to the TNT website, log-in with your credentials, and stream away.
If you don’t you’ll want to find an over-the-top streaming service that offers TNT as one of its channels – and we’ve got just the place to start.
Tip-off for tonight’s game is 7.30pm ET / 4.30pm PT in the US
The cheapest way to live stream NBA basketball
If you only want to watch the biggest games and are less concerned about regional sports network coverage, you can watch the NBA online for less with great value OTT streaming service Sling TV.
Its Orange package costs just $30 a month and gets you ESPN and TNT, while a $10 p/m Sports Extra add-on nets you NBA TV. This combo will give you an NBA live stream for many nationally televised games, with ABC the only channel not on offer.
Plus, Sling offers a FREE TRIAL period so you can check it out for yourself – and unlike cable, cancel your subscription at any time. Its RSN offering is limited, however.
More ways to watch NBA basketball online
Another quality option is fuboTV, which offers ESPN, TNT and NBA TV along with national channels like ABC, CBS and NBC in most major markets. Packages start from $59.99 a month for the more fully featured cable replacement service and there’s a FREE 2-week fuboTV trial you can try to see if it’s right for you.
It also features regional sports networks (RSNs) for local coverage in many areas, including NBC’s affiliates in Philadelphia, Washington and Chicago, plus MSG and SportsNet NY for the New York market and NESN in the Greater Boston area
However, other RSNs including most SportsNet affiliates (including Spectrum SportsNet LA) and New York’s YES Network can now only be found on the AT&T TV Now service.
How to watch your NBA team out of market
Those going online-only can consider the merits of an NBA TV Pass , which gets you access to nationally televised games – though it is subject to blackout restrictions, when they apply. Which means you’ll also need a VPN for a complete solution if you go this route.
How to watch Bucks vs Celtics: live stream the NBA game in Canada
If you’re a Canadian basketball fan, then you probably (but not necessarily) want to know how to watch the Raptors.
SportsNet and TSN share NBA coverage in Canada, including Raptors games, but also coverage of some of the other big games from around the league.
Both are widely available on cable but also offer streaming-only services – TSN Direct (from CAD$19.99 a month) and SN Now (from $9.99 a month).
For the Bucks vs Celtics, you wants SportsNet with coverage times the same as in the US, so starting at 7.30pm ET / 4.30pm PT.
For fans of teams that aren’t the Raptors or just love watching basketball in general, Canada’s NBA League Pass offering is the way to go. While Raptors games are subject to blackout, no other teams are affected, making it a great choice.
Plus, Canadian hoops fans travelling abroad can always use a VPN to get the same NBA coverage they’d normally watch (and pay for) back home.
Celtics vs Bucks live stream: watch NBA online in the UK
UK basketball fans can watch the NBA and live stream this season’s biggest games (as well as those of the WNBA) on Sky Sports – available on Sky of course, as well as with BT and Virgin Media, TV packages.
As an opening night tip-off, the Celtics vs Bucks is fully covered, with UK coverage starting on Sky Sports Main Event from 12.10am GMT (tip-off 12.30am).
Not interested in the commitment or cost of a full-fat Sky Sports subscription, but still want to watch the NBA live in the UK? Don’t worry, as you can also purchase a Now TV Sky Sports Pass.
Your final option is the NBA League Pass, which is available in the UK and will get you every single game of the 2020/21 season from just £3.99 a month for your pick of any three NBA games to watch; £14.99 p/m for full coverage of a single team; or £24.99 a month to get a UK NBA live stream of every single game around.
Should you sign up to that or any other UK sports streaming service, you may well want to watch your subscription from abroad – and as detailed above, all you need is a good VPN on your bench,
Bucks vs Celtics live stream: how to watch NBA basketball in Australia
If you plan on watching the NBA on TV this season in Australia, then you’ll need a cable package that gives you access to ESPN, as the network owns the country’s NBA broadcast rights and shows the biggest games – including the Bucks vs Celtics, which starts at 11.30am AEDT on Thursday in Oz.
You can get a Foxtel subscription with the sports package included that will allow you to watch all the season’s biggest televised games on ESPN, while free-to-air broadcaster SBS may also be showing select matchups for free on certain weekends.
Don’t want to sign up for Foxtel just to watch the NBA this season? Then great value over-the-top service Kayo Sports has you covered as it will allow you to stream all of ESPN’s NBA coverage for way less than a pay TV package. It costs between $25 and $35 a month, depending on which option, you choose but new customers will be able to test it out for themselves thanks to the service’s 14-day FREE TRIAL.
NBA League Pass is also available in Australia and is a great option for true NBA fanatics who want to watch every game of their favourite team and other action from around the league that might not always be on ESPN’s broadcast schedule.
Going abroad? Remember to consider packing a quality VPN, which will let you access all the same streaming services, NBA games and general sports action you’d normally watch Down Under.