It's best-of-seven to decide the NBA champs for 2022, with Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors taking on the iconic Boston Celtics. Can the kings of the Eastern Conference add an 18th title to their haul? Or will the Warriors lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the fourth time since 2015? Game 1 starts on Thursday, 2nd June, at 9pm ET. Fans in the US can watch on ESPN 3 or ABC. Full information for cord cutters as well as those in the UK, Canada and elsewhere below. Make sure you know how to watch a Celtics vs Warriors live stream.
Date: 2nd June
US stream: ESPN 3/ABC via (Sling TV)
Watch anywhere: ExpressVPN
UK stream: Now | NBA League Pass
Australia stream: Kayo Sports (14-day free trial)
Golden State beat the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs to reach their sixth finals in the past eight years. Their star trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green know how to win championships, but it's the emerging talents of Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney who could be key here.
Only the Lakers have won more titles than Boston, but the Celtics haven't managed to get beyond the Conference Finals in recent seasons. Their last NBA Finals appearance was 2010, but their dominant defence has seen them defeat the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat on their way to this meeting with the Warriors. Can they go one step further and lift their first trophy since 2008?
Ready for the NBA Finals? Read on for all your Celtics vs Warriors live stream options.
Watch a 2022 NBA Finals live stream
The NBA Finals will be shown exclusively on ABC in the States, but Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics will be simulcast on ESPN 3, which means you can watch via Sling TV as well as other cord cutting services as well as cable TV
Subscription to Sling TV Orange (ESPN, ESPN 3, TNT, NBA TV and more) costs $35 a month and new users get $10 off their first month of the service. Add the Sports Extra package for $10 a month and you'll get ESPNews too.
ABC is also available through FuboTV, which offers over 100 channels, including ABC for the NBA Finals, cloud DVR functionality and unlimited screens. Prices start at $70 a month and there's no minimum contract length so you can cancel at any time.
Outside the States? Remember you'll need to use a VPN to watch the NBA on Sling when travelling overseas.
Watch an NBA Finals live stream from abroad using a VPN
Even if you have subscribed to the relevant 2022 NBA Finals rights holders, you won't be able to use them when outside your own country. The service will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, such that the servers and services you’re accessing aren’t aware of what you’re doing. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted.
There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. As a rule, we’d suggest a paid-for service such as ExpressVPN which offers a 100 per cent risk-free money back guarantee. If you're not happy with the service any time within the first 30-days, then you can cancel with no penalties at all.
How to use a VPN for the NBA Finals
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.
2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For the basketball you may wish to choose 'USA' for Sling TV.
3. Then head over to Sling TV on your browser or device and enjoy the 2022 NBA Finals live stream.
If, for whatever reason, you can't get it working, do remember that you have the comfort of a 30-day money back guarantee with ExpressVPN. You could also try NordVPN, which also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee, and Surfshark which offers 24 hour assistance.
Watch an NBA Finals live stream in the UK
Sky Sports has you covered for all of this year's NBA Finals games.
Not a Sky subscriber? Now day and month passes provide contract-free streaming access to all 11 Sky Sports channels, so you can catch Premier League soccer and watch an F1 live stream.
Another option is the NBA League Pass. Subscription costs £14.99 a month but new users get a 7-day free trial.
Remember: you'll need to use a VPN to access NBA League Pass when travelling outside the UK.
Watch an NBA Finals live stream in Australia
Hoops fans in Oz can catch the NBA Finals on Foxtel. Another, cheaper, option is to stream Foxtel via Kayo, Australia's top sports streaming service.
Kayo offers new subscribers a 14-day free trial. After that, membership costs from $25 a month.
Kayo is only available within Australia but you can access your Kayo account from overseas using a VPN. Details just above.
NBA Finals live stream in Canada
Basketball fans in Canada can watch the 2022 NBA Finals games on a mixture of TSN and Sportsnet.
Streaming access to Sportsnet costs from $14.99 a month; streaming access to TSN will set you back $19.99 a month, $7.99 a day or $99.95 for six months (prices quoted are in Canadian dollars and before tax).
Again, you'll need to use a VPN to watch when travelling outside of Canada.
2022 NBA Finals TV schedule & times
All times ET
2022 NBA FINAL - Golden State Warriors vs Boston Celtics
Game 1: Thursday, June 2: Boston vs. Golden State, 9 ET, ABC/ESPN 3
Game 2: Sunday, June 5: Boston vs. Golden State, 8 ET, ABC/ESPN 3
Game 3: Wednesday, June 8: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC/ESPN 3
Game 4: Friday, June 10: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC/ESPN 3
Game 5: Monday, June 13: Boston vs. Golden State, 9 ET, ABC/ESPN 3 (If necessary)
Game 6: Thursday, June 16: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC/ESPN 3 (If necessary)
Game 7: Sunday, June 19: Boston vs. Golden State, 8 ET, ABC/ESPN 3 (If necessary)
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