The Bucks are your reigning NBA champions for the first time since '71, and that's not the only throwback vibe we're getting in this 75th anniversary campaign. It's been a two and a half year wait, but we've finally got our beautiful 82-game regular season back! Read on as we explain how to watch an NBA live stream online wherever you are for every basketball game of the 2021/22 season.
Dates: October 19 - June 2022
Defending champions: Milwaukee Bucks
US TV coverage: ESPN, TNT, ABC (ESPN3) and NBA TV
Streaming without cable: Sling TV / NBA League Pass
Global live streams: Sky Sports (UK) | TSN / Sportsnet (CAN) | Kayo Sports FREE trial (AU)
Watch anywhere: try the world's best VPN 100% risk-free
It was the Warriors (then of Philadelphia) who triumphed at the end of the inaugural NBA season in 1946/47, and how Steph Curry and the Dubs will be desperate to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs twice in a row.
They lost to both the Grizzlies and the Lakers in the play-in tournament, though LeBron's 15th playoff adventure was the briefest of his career. Is this the year he pulls level with five-ringers Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant?
The Hawks provided last season's cinderella story, going all the way to the Conference Finals after Nate McMillan took the reins, and many are expecting the supercharged Bulls to follow in their footsteps, with DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball hooking up with Zach LaVine.
And will the European takeover keep picking up pace with reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic all pushing for the top prize? Read on for details on how to get a NBA live stream and watch basketball online for every game of the 2021/22 season, no matter where you are in the world right now.
- More great sport: our guide to get an NHL live stream
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
Remember, there are loads of benefits to using a streaming VPN beyond just helping you regain access to services and content from abroad. One of the biggest is security: by using encrypted tunnels, VPNs give you a robust first-line of defense against cybercriminals and government snooping. This makes everyday tasks like online shopping and banking much safer, and many people choose to use one for that reason alone.
NBA live stream 2021/22: how to watch every game in the US
How to watch NBA without cable
How to watch NBA: live stream basketball in the UK
- Related: all you need to know about NBA League Pass
How to watch NBA online: live stream every 2021/22 game in Canada
NBA live stream 2021/22: how to watch basketball in Australia for FREE
NBA League Pass: the best way to live stream the NBA online?
As you can see, there are a number of options for streaming the NBA online. But one that keeps cropping up is NBA League Pass, the league's official streaming service.
If you want to follow your favorite team all season long or even if you want to keep up with every team in the league, it's a great way to watch the NBA from all over the world.
In the US, a yearly NBA League Pass subscription starts at $199.99 for coverage of every out-of-market game. But that's an important caveat. While this represents a solid deal for fans of teams living outside their local area, fans residing in-market will find most games subject to blackout restrictions - and it's not really a viable option as a result.
Additionally, you have to pony up extra for access to any games shown on NBA TV. The exception, as we've said, is for out-of-market fans. If that's you, NBA League Pass is worth your consideration - and with the help of a quality VPN, you can take your coverage with you wherever you are in the country (or world).
The service offers a different packages for international markets. Obviously, local blackout restrictions don't apply internationally, either, so it's a pretty good offer - and one that's far more straightforward than what's served up in the States.
As well as the UK, NBA League Pass covers pretty much every major international market with end-to-end hoops action apart from the US and Canada - so whether you're in Europe, South America, Asia, Oceania or anywhere else, it's well worth looking at.
As ever, if you're out of the country you subscribed to NBA League Pass in, it's likely you can use a VPN to get around these restrictions. Just follow our instructions above.
Who won the NBA finals in 2021?
Giannis may have missed out on a third MVP in a row, but he finally got the ring that his efforts have deserved, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to their first championship title for half a century.
It was a heart-breaking end to a magnificent campaign for the Phoenix Suns, who broke a 10-year playoff drought and cruised through the opening stages, before toppling at the last.
