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Live streaming NBA games is available through a number of legally recognized channels. These channels include; NBA League Pass, ESPN+, and other regional sports networks such as NBC Sports, Fox Sports, and TNT. These platforms offer streaming of live games, as well as on-demand replays, highlights, and other content.
Unlike the infamous free NBA streams, watching games through these legal channels requires one to pay a subscription fee. NBA League Pass allows you to purchase a package that gives you access to all games, or a package that allows you to follow a specific team. ESPN+ also offers a package that includes NBA games, as well as other sports content or sports events.
It is important to note that while streaming through legal channels may require a subscription, it is the only safe and legal way to watch live NBA games.
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However, some unscrupulous people have devised ways for people to stream NBA games for free. These faceless people have made it possible for games to be ‘illegally’ streamed by hundreds of thousands of NBA fans, on the blunt side of the NBA.
Streaming NBA games for free is generally not allowed. This is because the NBA holds exclusive broadcast rights to the games, and charges cable and streaming service providers to air them.
The league also works with companies like Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook to remove unauthorized streams of NBA games as they are posted. In 2019, a popular subreddit was banned. The subreddit was involved in streaming of games.
To watch these free NBA streams, you only need a laptop or a mobile phone with a good internet connection. These streams can be viewed by clicking on links provided on websites or apps created for this purpose.
However, the act of streaming NBA games for free is always advised against. In this article, we will tell you five reasons why you should never be involved in such an act.
The five reasons to avoid free NBA streams
- Illegality: On December 27, 2020, Former President Donald J. Trump signed the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act of 2020 into law. This law makes it a felony to be involved in streaming copyrighted material in the U.S. Therefore, streaming NBA games which are copyrighted contents, can put you at risk of being incarcerated for a year or even more. Those that only watch the NBA live streams too can be prosecuted.
- Quality: The quality of the streams on the illegal streaming sites is often poor, with low resolution, buffering, and other issues that can make watching the games difficult. There are no free NBAstreams that have good viewing quality.
- Reliability: Illegal streaming sites can be taken down at any time when they are reported to law enforcement agencies. Links to the games may be removed or broken, making it difficult to find a working stream.
- Malware: Most of the sites that offer free NBAstreams are not safe. Using them, however, can potentially harm your device with malware, viruses, or other malicious software.
- Support the basketball industry: By avoiding free illegal streams of NBA games, you are supporting the American basketball industry and the teams you love, as the revenue generated from legal streaming of games and broadcasting helps fund the operations of the league as well as the teams you support.
There are 30 teams in total that play in the league. They are; Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and the Miami Heat.
Others are; Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Orlando Magic.
The rest include; the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and the Washington Wizards. All these teams need money to run, and it is from streaming that they make the money.
Conclusion
Streaming NBA games for free on illegal streaming websites such as NBAbite or Volokit, can be a risky and unreliable option. Not only is it illegal, but the streams are often of low quality and their links can be taken down at any time.
In addition, there is a risk of downloading viruses or malware on your device while trying to access these streams. It is much safer and more enjoyable to watch the games through official and legal means. Though it may cost some money, it is worth it for the high-quality and reliable experience.
In short, the reasons to avoid free NBA streams are legal issues, low quality, and risk of pulling malware. The risk is simply not worth taking. So, to watch any basketball game online, just use any of the legal streaming service such as NBA TV.
Source: NBA Republic