Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. Deals

Celtics vs Suns live stream: Can you watch for free?

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Boston Celtics head west to take on the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center tonight. While Boston is just trying to keep focus down the stretch with the top seed in the East all but locked up, the Suns are fighting to stay above the play-in line as they make their way through a very difficult part of their schedule.

This one is only a few moments from tipping off, at 8:30 p.m. ET, and it will be nationally televised on ABC. Fortunately, that means there are a lot of different ways to watch a live stream of the game, with many of those options available for free.

The Best Way to Watch the Celtics vs Suns Live Stream

The Sling TV logo against a black background.
Sling

I know, I know. We promised some free options, and if you want to skip forward to those, you can take a look at the very next section. However, Sling TV is worth a mention because of how cheap of a long-term option it is compared to other live-TV streaming services.

You can watch a live stream of ESPN3 (which simulcasts NBA games on ABC like tonight’s Celtics vs Suns contest), ESPN, TNT and 30-plus other channels via “Sling Orange,” which is just $20 for you first month and then $40 per month after that. If you’re just looking to watch the nationally televised NBA games throughout the season, Sling is by far the cheapest way to do that. Even if you add in the “Sports Extra” add-on for another $11 per month to get the NBA TV games, it’s still cheaper than other streaming services.

Even Sling Orange plus the Sports Extra add-on plus NBA League Pass is a total of just $66 per month ($46 for your first month), which is right in line with the price of other services’ base plans without League Pass.

Is There a Free Celtics vs Suns Live Stream?

FuboTV app icon on Apple TV.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Our Sling spiel is over, and we have three different ways you can watch a live stream of the Suns vs Celtics without paying a single cent.

ABC (live in most markets) is available on Fubo, YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream. All of these are a bit more expensive long-term because they have much larger channel packages than Sling, but they all come with a free trial. You can watch Fubo for seven days before needing to pay or cancel, while YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream will each give you five days free.

Once signed up for any of the above, you can watch the game live on your streaming service’s website or app. Also, if ABC is not available live in your market, you can still watch the game on the ESPN website or app by logging in with your Fubo, YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream credentials.

Other Ways to Watch the Celtics vs Suns Live Stream

App icons for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

If you don’t need a free trial and you’re ready to start paying for a live-TV streaming service right away, Hulu + Live TV is another candidate to consider. At $77 per month, it includes ABC (also available live in most markets) and 90-plus other channels, plus it also comes with the Hulu streaming library, Disney+ and ESPN+ ($15 per month value) at no extra cost.

How to Watch the Celtics vs Suns Live Stream from Abroad

NordVPN running on a MacBook Pro.
NordVPN

Whether you’re trying to watch the game via Sling, Fubo, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream or Hulu + Live TV, you’ll need a virtual private network (VPN) to watch from outside of the United States. VPN’s hide your IP address and connect you to a server in a location of your choosing (in this case, you would select a server in the US), allowing you to access content that would otherwise be geo-locked.

There are plenty of good VPN’s out there, but NordVPN has lots of enticing features and is confirmed to work with all of the aforementioned streaming services. You can also check out our guides to the best VPN services or best VPN deals for some other options.

Tim Keeney
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Tim is a long-time sports journalist who has written about everything from the NFL to more popular sports such as chess…
Topics
Christopher Nolan’s personal take on smartphones is surprisingly practical
Christopher Nolan says not owning a smartphone helps him think better
Christopher Nolan sits in front of an IMAX camera.

Christopher Nolan has spent his career embracing cutting-edge filmmaking technology while resisting one of the most common gadgets on the planet: the smartphone. The Oscar-winning director behind Oppenheimer, Inception, and the upcoming The Odyssey says his decision isn't about rejecting technology altogether. It's about protecting something he believes has become increasingly rare - time to think.

In an interview with The Telegraph ahead of the premiere of The Odyssey, Nolan explained that he still doesn't own a smartphone, despite living in a world where QR codes, digital tickets, and messaging apps have become everyday necessities. His reasoning, however, is far more practical than philosophical.

Read more
Letterboxd could find a new home at Netflix, but Sony is fighting for it, too
Netflix wants Letterboxd, but Hollywood isn't letting it go without a fight
Letterboxd

Letterboxd, the fast-growing social network for film lovers, could soon have a new owner. According to a report by Puck News, the New Zealand-based platform has been exploring a potential sale, attracting interest from several major entertainment companies, including Netflix, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Paramount Skydance.

While no deal has been confirmed, the discussions highlight how valuable online fan communities have become as streaming platforms compete not just for viewers, but also for the audiences that influence what people watch next.

Read more
Disney+ is exploring a free tier to fight back against YouTube’s growing TV dominance
Disney is eyeing a free tier as YouTube keeps stealing its TV audience
The Disney+ app on a TV screen while blue lights illuminate the wall behind.

Watching Disney+ without paying for a subscription could eventually become an option. According to Business Insider, Disney is considering a free tier that would let people watch some content without a paywall.

The idea is still in the early stages, with no timeline or launch details, but it reflects a growing challenge. YouTube and other free, ad-supported platforms like Tubi and Roku are attracting more TV viewers, forcing streaming services to rethink how they compete.

Read more