Why You Can Trust CNET NBA Finals: How to Watch, Stream Nuggets vs. Heat Game 5 on ABC Tonight From Anywhere
The Denver Nuggets are one win away from a title. Can the Miami Heat extend the series? Game 5 tips off soon, and you don't need cable to watch.
After winning Games 3 and 4 in Miami to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Miami Heat, the Denver Nuggets can win the franchise's first NBA title on their home court tonight. The Heat have already won seven road games during the 2023 NBA Playoffs and will need an eighth tonight in Denver to force a Game 6 back in Miami. Denver's dynamic duo of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray have looked nearly unstoppable for long stretches during the series, but you should never count out the Heat's Jimmy Butler when you're talking about playoff basketball.
Game 5 is set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on ABC.
Whether you live in the US or are looking to follow the basketball action from around the world, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to watch the 2023 NBA Finals live, no matter where you are.
Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets take on Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat at home on Monday night for Game 5 of the NBA Finals on ABC.
Nuggets vs. Heat Game 5: When and where?
Game 5 will be played at the Ball Arena in Denver. Tip-off is set for tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET or 5:30 p.m. PT in the US -- that's 1:30 a.m. BST in the UK and 10:30 a.m. AEST in Australia on Tuesday, June 13.
What is the schedule for the rest of the NBA Finals?
The schedule for the rest of the NBA Finals is as follows. All games will air in the US on ABC.
• Monday, June 12: Heat at Nuggets, 8:30 p.m. ET (Game 5, Nuggets lead 3-1)
• Thursday, June 15: Nuggets at Heat, 8:30 p.m. ET (Game 6, if necessary)
• Sunday, June 18: Heat at Nuggets, 8 p.m. ET (Game 7, if necessary)
How to watch the NBA Finals 2023 online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free -- the equivalent of $6.67 per month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Livestream the Nuggets vs. Heat Game 5 in the US
All games for this year's NBA Finals will be shown live nationally in the US on ABC and ESPN3. Most of the major streaming TV services offer ABC, but it can be a bit complicated.
Sling TV's Orange plan doesn't include ABC, but it does include ESPN3, which will also work for streaming the NBA Finals. Sling also offers a Blue plan that has ABC in select markets, but the Orange plan should do the trick and also includes the regular ESPN channel.
Hulu Plus Live TV costs $70 a month and includes ABC. Click the "View all channels in your area" link at the bottom of its welcome page to see which local networks are available where you live.
YouTube TV costs $73 a month and offers all the main channels that broadcast NBA basketball, including ABC. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
FuboTV costs $75 per month for its Pro option and includes ABC. Check out which local networks it offers here.
DirecTV Stream is expensive. It's the priciest of the five major live TV streaming services. Its cheapest, $65-a-month Entertainment package includes ABC as well as ESPN and TNT. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels and RSNs are available in your area.
It is worth noting that DirecTV has an additional $15 "advanced receiver service" fee that automatically applies and is extra from the sticker price, which makes the Entertainment package $80 per month.
Each live TV streaming service offers a free trial, allows you to cancel anytime and requires a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.
Livestream Nuggets vs. Heat Game 5 in the UK
For basketball fans in the UK, every 2023 NBA Finals game will be shown live on Sky Sports. This game will be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Arena, with tip-off set for 1:30 a.m. BST on Tuesday morning.
Sky subsidiary Now (formerly Now TV) offers streaming access to Sky Sports channels with a Now Sports membership. You can get a day of access for £12, or sign up to a monthly plan from £25 per month right now.
Livestream Nuggets vs. Heat Game 5 in Canada
Live coverage of NBA postseason games is split between TSN, Sportsnet, RDS and NBA TV in Canada. The fifth game of the Finals is set to be broadcast on Sportsnet, which means it can be watched via its streaming service Sportsnet Now. Existing TSN or Sportsnet cable subscribers can meanwhile watch at no extra charge using the details of their TV provider.
Sportsnet will broadcast 5 and 7 (if necessary) of the NBA Finals. To stream without a cable provider you will need to sign up for Sportsnet Now, its streaming service, which starts at CA$15 per month for its "standard" option.
TSN Plus won't show Game 5 but will show Game 6 if the series goes that long. The service is priced at CA$20 a month or CA$200 per year.
Livestream Nuggets vs. Heat Game 5 in Australia
This year's NBA Finals can be watched Down Under on ESPN via Foxtel. If you're not a Fox subscriber, your best option is to sign up for streaming service Kayo Sports.
A Kayo Sports subscription starts at AU$25 a month and lets you stream on one screen, while its Premium tier costs AU$35 a month for simultaneous viewing on up to three devices.
The service gives you access to a wide range of sports including F1, NRL, NFL, F1, NHL and MLB, and there are no lock-in contracts.
Better still, if you're a new customer, you can take advantage of a one-week Kayo Sports free trial.
Quick tips for streaming the NBA Finals using a VPN
- With four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming NBA Finals games may vary.
- If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
- If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.