Brooklyn and its “Big Three” will be looking to show just why they’ve been installed as favorites to win the NBA championship, as they take on an underperforming Boston team. Read on as we explain how to get a Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets live stream and watch the NBA playoffs series online – no matter where you are – and without cable.
Boasting the triple threat of three of the best scorers in the game in the form of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant, the Nets have impressed throughout the campaign despite rarely being able to field all three players at the same time due to injuries.
Aiming for their first title in franchise history, the Nets won all three meetings against their play-off opponents earlier in the season and should prove too much for Boston. The Celtics have been below par for much of the season, having limped into the playoffs after seeing off the Washington Wizards in the play-in.
Jayson Tatum has been one of the few bright sparks during an underwhelming season for Boston, and the young star will have to take up the mantle of being the Celtics key man with all-star guard Jaylen Brown an injury doubt.
This should be a fascinating rematch, so read on for how to watch the Celtics vs Nets series online and get an NBA playoffs live stream from anywhere.
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Celtics vs Nets: schedule and TV channels
Here’s how this first round NBA playoff series between Boston and Brooklyn looks:
- Game 1: Saturday, May 22 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on ABC and ESPN 3
- Game 2: Tuesday, May 25 at 7.30pm ET / 4.30pm PTon TNT
- Game 3: Friday, May 28 at 8.30pm ET / 5.30pm PT on ABC and ESPN 3
- Game 4: Sunday, May 30 at 7pm ET/ 4pm PT on TNT
- Game 5: Tuesday, June 1 at TBD on TBD (if required)
- Game 6: Thursday, June 3 at TBD on TBD (if required)
- Game 7: Saturday, June 5 at TBD on TBD (if required)
How to watch NBA playoffs from outside your country
Scroll down for all the ways you can watch the Celtics vs Nets series online in a number of countries around the world. But first, you should know that if you’re abroad at any point during the postseason, you probably won’t be able to watch the NBA playoffs like you normally would at home.
This is because of geo-blocking, a digital restriction that means certain streaming services are only accessible in the region they’re based in.
The simplest and most reliable solution is to use a VPN service to change your IP address to a different 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 playoffs online from anywhere
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Celtics vs Nets live stream 2021: how to watch the NBA playoffs online
Coverage of the Celtics vs Nets series is split between ESPN, ABC and TNT – see above for the schedule and channel info.
If you have the channels as part of a cable package, you can also stream the action directly through the ESPN , ABC and TNT websites.
How to watch Celtics vs Nets without cable
Cord-cutters are in luck, too, as you can get ESPN, ABC and TNT without having an expensive cable package.
Great value OTT streaming service Sling TV‘s Orange package costs just $35 a month and gets you ESPN and TNT, while an $11 p/m Sports Extra add-on nets you NBA TV, which is also showing some playoff games.
This combo will give you an NBA live stream for not only this series but most of the playoffs, since ABC-covered matches are being simulcast on ESPN3, which is also part of this plan.
Better still, Sling is offering new subscribers a fantastic bargain – right now you can save big bucks with this Sling TV deal, which lets you get a whole month of Sling Orange for a mere $10. And unlike cable, cancel your subscription at any time.
More ways to watch NBA basketball online
Another quality option is fuboTV, which offers ESPN, TNT, NBA TV and ABC in most major markets – all the channels you need to watch the playoffs. Packages start from $64.99 a month for the cable replacement service and there’s even a FREE fuboTV trial you can try to see if it’s right for you.
Out of the US and want to watch your home coverage? No worries – just use a VPN as described above.
How to watch Celtics vs Nets: live stream NBA playoffs in Canada
Canadian basketball fans can watch the entire Celtics vs Nets series via TSN and Sportsnet.
TSN is showing games 1 through to 5 and 6*, while Sportsnet is showing games 6* and 7*.
If you get TSN as part of your cable deal, then you’ll just be able to log in with the details of your provider and get access to an NBA playoffs live stream.
If you don’t have cable, then you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis from just CA$4.99 a day or (much better value) $19.99 a month.
Similarly, you can watch Sportsnet online at no extra charge if you already subscribe to the channel as part of your TV package – or access it on a streaming-only basis, with plans starting from just CA$9.99 a month.
If you decide to subscribe or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions above.
How to watch Celtics vs Nets: live stream NBA Play-In basketball in the UK
Basketball fans based in the UK can tune into select NBA playoff matches on Sky Sports. Start times vary but are between 6.30pm and 12.30am BST for the confirmed games.
Subscribers also get to watch on the move using the Sky Go app, which is available on nearly all modern phones, tablets, laptops, PCs and consoles.
For those without Sky, the best option is a Now Sky Sports membership, which includes all 11 channels.
However, the network hasn’t released its full schedule yet, and of the games listed, no matches from the Celtics vs Nets series are listed.
An NBA League Pass may therefore be a better bet for fans of either team. The subscription to the online on demand service available for £24.99 and covers the entirety of the playoffs and makes a great option for die-hard fans who want to watch as much of the postseason action as possible.
To access your usual streaming service from outside the UK, you’ll need to download a good VPN as detailed above.
Celtics vs Nets live stream 2021: how to watch NBA playoffs online in Australia
The best option for for die-hard basketball fans Down Under is the NBA League Pass, which costs $39.99 per month after a 7-day FREE trial, and gets you coverage of every game of the playoffs, including the Celtics vs Nets series.
You can tune into NBA playoffs action on ESPN, which is available through Foxtel. That means you can also live stream the basketball through slick streaming platform Kayo.
Newbies can take advantage of a FREE 2-week Kayo trial to see if the service is right for them. For those who decide to keep it, Kayo price plans start from a super affordable AUD$25 a month – really good value considering how much premium live sports action it hosts.
In addition to being where to watch NBA basketball online in Australia this year, it’s also your home for the F1, AFL, NRL, Super Rugby AOT, cricket and way more. Handy if you don’t want to go all out on Fox.
Not in Australia? Aussies abroad looking to watch an NBA playoffs live stream should find that a good VPN helps them access their home streaming services wherever they are.