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- The 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament will conclude on April 14, deciding the final seeds in this year’s playoffs.
- Games are split between TNT and ESPN; you can stream them with services like Sling TV ($40/month).
With the regular season now complete, the NBA has reached the annual Play-In Tournament to determine the last two seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences. The final Play-In tournament games will air on TNT and ESPN on April 14.
The teams with the seventh and eighth best records in each conference have two chances to win a Play-In game and secure their playoff spot, while the teams in ninth and 10th in each conference must win two consecutive games to make the playoffs.
In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime to claim the seventh seed, while the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Pelicans for an opportunity at the eighth seed. The Thunder will visit the Timberwolves on April 14, with the winner moving on to face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
In the Eastern conference, the Atlanta Hawks upset the Miami Heat to earn the seventh seed, and the Chicago Bulls overcame the Toronto Raptors in the 9-10 game. The Heat will host the Bulls to decide which team will play the Milwaukee Bucks to start the playoffs.
How to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament in the US
You can watch the NBA Play-In Tournament on TNT and ESPN, with games spread across both channels. Both networks are available through cable, satellite, and select live TV streaming services; the play-in games won’t be available to stream with ESPN+ or NBA League Pass.
If you already have TNT and ESPN through a pay-TV provider, you can log in to their respective apps or websites with your account to livestream the games. If you don’t have cable, you can sign up for a live TV streaming service like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, or YouTube TV to watch the play-in games.
The Sling Orange package includes both ESPN and TNT for $40 a month, making it the most affordable streaming option to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament. New members get 50% off their first month, which brings the starting price down to just $20.
What if you’re not in the US?
If you’re outside the US right now, you might be in a region that doesn’t have access to the NBA Play-In Tournament. But there’s a simple solution: A VPN. A virtual private network, or VPN, will let you stream the NBA Play-In Tournament through Sling TV no matter where you are, while also creating a more secure connection.
ExpressVPN is our pick for the best VPN service, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can also check our full list of the best VPN providers.
With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.
How to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don’t have one.
- Install it on the device you’re using to watch the NBA Play-In Tournament.
- Turn it on and set it to any US location.
- Open Sling TV and select the channel (either TNT or ESPN) the game is playing on.
- Coverage runs from April 11 to 14.
2023 NBA Play-In Tournament schedule
2023 NBA Play-In Tournament bracket
NBA
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. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
