NBA opening day has arrived! How to watch all Tuesday’s games for free

David HoffmanUSA TODAY
Oct. 20, 2026, 1:01 p.m. ET

• The NBA season begins on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
• The three games played during opening day includes Boston at Detroit, Philadelphia at New York and Oklahoma City at San Antonio.
• All three games can be streamed for free through services like Fubo, Hulu+Live TV and YouTube TV.

The NBA is officially back as the regular season tips off today with three marquee matchups giving basketball fans across the country plenty of <a href="https://comicvibe.com/will-penn-entertainment-penn-beat-estimates-again-in-its-next-earnings-report/” title=”Will PENN Entertainment (PENN) Beat Estimates Again in Its Next Earnings Report?”>entertainment.

Today’s headline matchup features the defending champion New York Knicks hosting the new-look Philadelphia 76ers with LeBron James leading the team into Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. ET.

FREE STREAM:Watch NBA opening day for free

Before 76ers vs. Knicks, the day starts at 3 p.m. ET when two Eastern Conference powerhouses in the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons face off, with the night capping off at 9:30 p.m. for a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals matchup between the OKC Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Needless to say, your Tuesday schedule is practically packed. In fact, with all three games airing on NBC today, you can easily stream them all for free. Want to know how? Learn more about the various ways to stream the games for free below.

How to watch NBA opening day games today for free

The NBA regular season begins today with three games on tap, starting with Celtics vs. Pistons at 3 p.m. ET, which is followed by 76ers vs. Knicks at 7 p.m. ET and capped off with Thunder vs. Spurs at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Every game airs on NBC, which is available to be streamed for free through select streaming platforms like Fubo, Hulu+Live TV and YouTube TV.

NBA opening day games stream
Watch every NBA game today for free! Watch live

NBA opening day schedule

• Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons – 3 p.m. ET on NBC – Watch free
• Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks – 7 p.m. ET on NBC – Watch free
• Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs – 9:30 p.m. ET on NBC – Watch free

Fubo TV

The easiest way to stream the NBA tonight is with Fubo TV. You can enjoy a five-day free trial, unlimited cloud DVR and access to more than 200 live channels including ESPN, FOX, CBS and other local networks.

Fubo TV streaming service
Tune in to watch the NBA tonight for free! Watch live

Hulu + Live TV

Hulu+ Live TV gives viewers access to hundreds of live channels, including NBC, so you can stream the NBA today. You can try Hulu+ Live TV for free with a three-day trial.

Hulu + Live TV has a few different subscription plans you can choose from and they vary by price and features like advertisements and additional streaming services.

Hulu + Live TV
Combine your favorite TV streaming options with over 100 channels of live TV, sports, news and entertainment. Get Hulu + Live TV now

YouTube TV

Get local and national broadcasts and nearly 30 dedicated sports channels on the YouTube TV Sports Plan for $44.99 for your first six months and $64.99 after that. Looking for out-of-market NFL games? Adding the NFL Sunday Ticket for $30 per month for 8 months for new users or $47.50 for returning users. YouTube TV offers a 10-day free trial to new subscribers.

YouTube TV
Stream your favorites through YouTube TV. Watch nowWatch NBA opening night for free

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