Quick Look: NBA on Roku carries a mix of free and premium content. Premium content requires a subscription to NBA League Pass or NBA TV or authentication through a participating TV provider. We'll cover premium content in more detail below - first, let's look at what's available for free.
Free NBA content on Roku
The Roku NBA app is free to install, so you don't need to worry about being charged just for downloading it. The app's home screen shows Featured content, which includes free videos that don't require logging in or authenticating with a pay TV provider. Examples of the content includes the currently-available videos "Friday's Top 10 Plays", "Celtics' Jones' legacy synonymous with winning", and "Anthony Davis' NBA Debut Lookback". Unfortunately, you're required to sit through a commercial before almost every video; many of the videos are only a minute long and are preceded by a 30-second commercial - not the kind of ad to content ratio must of us can deal with.
If you're willing to deal with the ads, you can watch videos on a variety of topics, including current events like Christmas Day games. You'll also find Best of Young Stars, with multiple videos on each of several younger NBA players, Notable Debut Games, "Shaqtin' A Fool", Team Highlight Reels, NBA Stars Mixtapes, Before They Were Stars, and other video categories.
Also free is the upcoming NBA schedule (select Games from the menu bar at the top of the screen) and current standings (also available through the menu bar). Unless you're already watching video, though, it's probably not worth the effort to use the NBA Roku channel just for this information, which is easily found on the web.
NBA Games and NBA TV on Roku
To watch live games on the NBA Roku app, or to watch the live stream from NBA TV, you will need to subscribe to NBA TV or NBA League Pass (see Fees section below) or subscribe to NBA TV through a participating pay TV provider. League Pass subscribers and authenticated pay TV customers can watch NBA games live and on-demand, including condensed replays, but note that viewing is subject to blackouts, including the inability to stream live games that are being locally broadcast. NBA TV subscribers have access to NBA TV, 24-hour live stream of exclusive features, interviews, and press conferences.
Pay TV providers that allow access to NBA TV on the NBA Roku app currently include AT&T Uverse, Cox, Dish, Xfinity, and many other national and local cable TV providers, along with streaming TV services AT&T TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV. Remember, though, that you need to get NBA TV through your pay TV provider in order to fully activate the Roku app. For example, all Sling TV customers will be able to authenticate the app, but if you don't have the Sports Extra package, which includes NBA TV, you will still be unable to stream live games.
For problems with the NBA app on Roku, contact NBA Support at support.watch.nba.com.
-- Information is current as of December 26, 2020
Developer's Channel Description: Your team. Your game. Your NBA. Never miss a moment with the official NBA app. Stay on top of the game with the latest highlights, scores, and stats with the official app of the NBA—now with more ways to follow live games than ever before!
CHANNEL STORE CATEGORY: Sports
DEVELOPER: NBA Properties Inc
FEES:
Schedule, standings, and certain videos are free. Live games and live NBA TV require activation through a participating pay TV provider or subscription to NBA League Pass or NBA TV. Visit watch.nba.com/streaming-subscriptions for current rates.
