You can watch the NBA play-in tournament online here

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Quick response: Basketball fans can watch the NBA play-in tournament online for free with a trial of DirecTV Stream.

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The NBA playoffs are just around the corner, the start date is Saturday, April 20th. But before teams can take the court, there are still a few spots to fill in the first round, which will be determined by this week's NBA play-in tournament matches.

The games begin with meetings between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors against the Sacramento Kings. Ultimately, this week will decide which two teams secure their spots as numbers 7 and 8 in the upcoming playoffs. If you want to find out where to watch the NBA Play-in Tournament, keep reading our streaming guide.

How to watch the NBA play-in tournament online

NBA play-in games air throughout the week on TNT, truTV and ESPN. Don't have cable? These streaming services make it easier to follow the matches online:

Stream the NBA Play-in Tournament on DirecTV Stream

With a DirecTV Stream subscription, you can easily watch NBA play-in tournament games online, even if you've ditched your cable plan. The DirecTV Stream Choice package includes all the channels you need to watch the first few matches, including truTV, TNT and ESPN. A plan costs $98.99 plus taxes for the first month and then increases to $123.98 per month. But best of all, there's a five-day free trial.

Get a free trial at DirecTV Stream

Stream the NBA Play-In Tournament on fuboTV

Although it doesn't look like Fubo will offer TNT or truTV, you can watch some of the NBA play-in tournament games via ESPN with a fuboTV subscription. Plans include a five-day free trial and then start at $79.99 per month for the fuboTV Pro package. And yes, you can cancel your subscription at any time (especially if your team doesn't make it through this week).

Get a free trial at fubo

Stream the NBA Play-in Tournament on Sling Orange

Sling TV also lets you watch this week's NBA play-in tournament games online with the Sling Orange plan. This package gives you access to ESPN and TNT. It costs $30 per month to get started, then $40 per month thereafter. This is a good option if you plan on watching future NBA playoff games beyond just the free trial.

Get Sling Orange starting at $30/month

Can you watch the NBA Play-in tournament for free?

Yes, fans can stream the NBA play-in tournament games on DirecTV Stream with a five-day free trial.

Get a free trial at DirecTV Stream

NBA play-in tournament schedule

April 16: Game 1 – Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans at 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
April 16: Game 2 – Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings at 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
April 17: Game 3 – Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
April 17: Game 4 – Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
April 19: Game 5 – TBD
April 19: Game 6 – TBD

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