Where to watch NBA Finals: Live stream Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 1
The 2025 NBA Finals have finally arrived, and the Thunder and Pacers will square off in the best-of-seven series. We've compiled everything you need to know about where to watch the NBA Finals, including live streaming options.
It's been a thrilling and often surprising month-and-a-half since the 2025 Playoffs tipped off, but it's all been leading up to the NBA Finals. No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder will face off with the No. 4 seed, the Indiana Pacers. Neither team has won a championship title under their current names, although the Thunder was originally known as the Seattle SuperSonics, and the franchise won a chip in 1979.
The Thunder more or less sailed through the the first few stages, with the exception of the Conference Semifinals, which went all the way to Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets. It took six games for the Pacers to defeat the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, but they otherwise breezed through the Playoffs.
This series won't be available on ESPN Plus, so the cheapest way to live stream the NBA Finals without a free trial will be through Sling TV. Below, we'll break down everything you need to know about that service and recommend other streaming options with free trials.
What channel are the NBA Finals on?
All NBA Finals games will air on ABC in the US. Game 1 is scheduled to tip off on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET, although NBA Countdown coverage will begin at 8.
Where to watch NBA Finals in the US
As we mentioned above, the absolute cheapest way for US cord-cutters to live stream the NBA Finals without a free trial is through Sling TV, since ESPN Plus won't be carrying the series. Sling costs $46/month, but new customers can get 50% off their first month of service. That means you can watch every game of the NBA Finals (even if the series makes it to Game 7) for $23. Sling is a month-to-month cable alternative, which means that you can cancel at any time.
You'll want to sign up for Sling's Orange plan, which carries ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, and 30 other popular live channels. ESPN3 live streams ABC on NBA games, so you'll be able to watch the Finals here. This is how I personally watched the Game 5 Championship win in 2024, and I've double-checked the Sling TV guide this year to confirm that Game 1 will live stream on ESPN3 tonight.
While Sling doesn't have a free trial for new customers, other live TV streaming services that offer a free trial have significantly higher monthly fees, but they also come with even more channel options. Two of the best live TV streaming services that we've tried ourselves are DirecTV and Fubo. DirecTV 's signature Entertainment plan costs $85/month, offers access to 90+ channels, and comes with a five-day free trial for new customers. Fubo 's Pro plan starts at $85/month, comes with at least 150 live channels, and offers a seven-day free trial for new users. Plus, new Fubo users can get $20 knocked off their first month of service.
How to watch NBA Finals from anywhere
NBA fans traveling outside the US can still keep up with their usual viewing methods with the help of a VPN, or virtual private network. VPNs are easy-to-use cybersecurity tools that enable people to change the virtual location of their devices. This way, they don't need to miss out on any games just because they're away from home. VPNs are popular ways to improve online security and privacy. The services we've highlighted today require US payment methods, so this option will work best for Americans who are just abroad at the moment.
ExpressVPN consistently ranks among the best VPNs on the market. It's a top-rated, user-friendly option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can learn more about the app and its extensive cybersecurity features in our ExpressVPN review.
Use a VPN to watch these events & shows free:
All the items below have a free streaming option that can be unlocked from anywhere with a VPN. Set it to the corresponding country, and you're all set.
French Open - various
MotoGP - various
Love Island - various
The Traitors - various
Walking Dead: Dead City - New Zealand
Poker Face - New Zealand
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
2 hours ago
- Associated Press
Thunder, Pacers set for winner-take-all game 7 in NBA Finals
Indiana Pacers (50-32, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14, first in the Western Conference) Oklahoma City; Sunday, 8 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -7.5; over/under is 215 NBA FINALS: Series tied 3-3 BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers in game seven of the NBA Finals. The Pacers defeated the Thunder 108-91 in the last matchup on Friday. Obi Toppin led the Pacers with 20 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21. The Thunder are 36-6 on their home court. Oklahoma City ranks sixth in the league averaging 14.5 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 37.4% from downtown. Isaiah Joe leads the team averaging 2.6 makes while shooting 41.2% from 3-point range. The Pacers have gone 21-20 away from home. Indiana has a 22-15 record against opponents over .500. The Thunder are shooting 48.2% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Pacers allow to opponents. The Pacers average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Thunder give up. TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Williams is shooting 48.4% and averaging 21.6 points for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.9 points over the last 10 games. Pascal Siakam is averaging 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 6-4, averaging 113.3 points, 40.8 rebounds, 20.0 assists, 10.3 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points per game. Pacers: 5-5, averaging 110.4 points, 40.3 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 9.9 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points. INJURIES: Thunder: Nikola Topic: out for season (acl). Pacers: Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), Jarace Walker: day to day (ankle). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Thunder, Pacers set for winner-take-all game 7 in NBA Finals
Indiana Pacers (50-32, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14, first in the Western Conference) Oklahoma City; Sunday, 8 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -7.5; over/under is 215 Advertisement NBA FINALS: Series tied 3-3 BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers in game seven of the NBA Finals. The Pacers defeated the Thunder 108-91 in the last matchup on Friday. Obi Toppin led the Pacers with 20 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21. The Thunder are 36-6 on their home court. Oklahoma City ranks sixth in the league averaging 14.5 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 37.4% from downtown. Isaiah Joe leads the team averaging 2.6 makes while shooting 41.2% from 3-point range. The Pacers have gone 21-20 away from home. Indiana has a 22-15 record against opponents over .500. Advertisement The Thunder are shooting 48.2% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Pacers allow to opponents. The Pacers average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 fewer makes per game than the Thunder give up. TOP PERFORMERS: Jalen Williams is shooting 48.4% and averaging 21.6 points for the Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.9 points over the last 10 games. Pascal Siakam is averaging 20.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 6-4, averaging 113.3 points, 40.8 rebounds, 20.0 assists, 10.3 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points per game. Advertisement Pacers: 5-5, averaging 110.4 points, 40.3 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 9.9 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points. INJURIES: Thunder: Nikola Topic: out for season (acl). Pacers: Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), Jarace Walker: day to day (ankle). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Stephen A. Smith Updates Tyrese Haliburton's 'Superstar' Status After Game 6 of the NBA Finals
Stephen A. Smith Updates Tyrese Haliburton's 'Superstar' Status After Game 6 of the NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the NBA season looks forward to the final game of the 2024-25 season, there will be a lot of anticipation leading up to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Advertisement The Indiana Pacers were able to keep their championship hopes alive after a complete blowout in their final home game of the season, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 with a final score of 108-91. Jun 19, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) dribbles defended by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) in the first quarter during game six of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Defense was the key factor to the Pacers' dominant victory, as Indiana made Oklahoma City turn the ball over 21 times compared to their 11. This helped the Pacers take 92 shots, while the Thunder attempted just 74. One key headline leading up to the game was the health status of the Pacers' point guard, Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton has been dealing with a calf strain, and it left him labeled as questionable heading into the series-determining game. Advertisement He was able to play in the game, and his calf was able to hold up as he finished with 14 points, five assists, and two steals in a limited 23 minutes. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, Terada-Imagn Images ESPN's Stephen A. Smith was left unimpressed, however, and he was able to give an update on Haliburton's "superstar" status on Friday morning. "He's a damn good player. He sort of stirs the cups for Indiana's offense. We will give him his props where it's due, what we're not going to do is call him a superstar. We're not going to do that," Stephen A. Smith said on First Take. Stephen A. was also able to give Haliburton credit in the impressive amount of clutch shots he's made for the Pacers in their playoff run this season. Advertisement Haliburton has hit four different game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final five seconds of games in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. His buzzer-beating game-winner in Game 1 has given the Pacers momentum in The Final's series against the Thunder, leading to their push to Game 7 to determine who will win the NBA championship this season. The real question will be if Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers will be able to continue their prominent run this playoffs and travel back to Oklahoma City to knock of the Thunder and capture the franchise's first NBA championship. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
