Blink and you’d have missed it, but the new NBA season is already upon us, with the 2020/21 campaign tipping off tonight with a pair of primetime games. Of these, the Lakers vs Clippers is undoubtedly the main attraction, seeing the reigning NBA champions take on bitter local rivals cross-town rivals. Read on as we explain how to get a Lakers vs Clippers live stream and watch all the NBA action online, no matter where you are in the world right now. .
Lakers vs Clippers live stream
The 2020/21 NBA regular season gets under way on Tuesday, December 22 and Lakers vs Clippers game is the second of an opening night double-header. Tip-off is scheduled for 10pm ET / 7pm PT at the Staples Center, Los Angeles. Full TV channel and NBA live streaming details are below – but you can jump out to an early lead by netting a quality VPN solution to ensure you can watch your team wherever you are right now.
It’s safe to say that the Lakers, led by all-time great LeBron James, are the overwhelming favorites to repeat as champs this year. While they lost players like Rajon Rondo in the offseason, they retooled a younger, arguably more dynamic team to surround LeBron and fellow superstar Anthony Davis, including Dennis Schroder, Wes Matthews, Marc Gasol and Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell – last seen playing for the Clippers, no less.
The Clippers, for their part, still look to rely heavily on their superstar duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George this season. The question is chemistry, though, with reports already circulating that Leonard could want out of LA, so newly installed head coach Ty Lue has quite the job on his hands meshing this talented but not necessarily cohesive unit into championship contenders.
In general, the 2020/21 NBA season will look a lot more like previous versions, with most teams playing at their home stadiums and an All-Star break scheduled for March. Fans have every reason to be excited about the return of pro hoops, so follow our guide as we explain how to watch Lakers vs Clippers 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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Lakers vs Clippers live stream: how to watch NBA online in the US
The Lakers vs Clippers 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 10pm ET / 7pm 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 RSN 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.
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 NBA online: get a Lakers vs Clippers live stream 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 Lakers vs Clippers, you wants SportsNet with coverage times the same as in the US, so starting at 10pm ET / 7pm 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.
How to watch Lakers vs Clippers: live stream NBA basketball 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 Lakers vs Clippers is fully covered, with UK coverage starting on Sky Sports Main Event from 3am GMT.
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,
Lakers vs Clippers 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 Lakers vs Clippers, which starts at 2pm AEDT on Wednesday Down Under.
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.