Celtics vs Mavericks live stream: How to watch NBA Finals 2024 online, TV schedule, channels, game 5 start time

 Kyrie Irving shoots a free throw
(Image credit: Getty Images / David Jensen)

With the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy on the line, the Mavericks roared to a 38-point win that puts the Celtics' celebrations on hold. With Game 5 the action returns to TD Garden tonight, and the home crowd expects.

Read on and we'll show you how to watch NBA Finals 2024 from anywhere in the world with a VPN, with game 2 coming up next.

2024 NBA Finals live streams: TV schedule, dates

2024 NBA Finals live streams (see full schedule below for dates & times)
• U.S. — ABC/ESPN3 (via Sling TV)
• CANTSN+
• AUSKayo Sports (free trial)
• U.K.TNT Sports
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free

The Celtics are tied with the Lakers on 17 championship titles apiece, and breaking the deadlock would be huge, especially as this has been 16 years in the making. The 84-122 defeat last time out, however, should serve as a reminder that the hardest thing is closing. The Celtics are also in the unusual position of comfortably leading the series but trailing the points count, by 408-402. 

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving — the Celtics' and Mavericks' respective dynamic duos — will be absolutely key to deciding whre we go from here. That said, with Derrick Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington, the Celtics look better-equipped to slow Jokic and Irving down than the Mavericks do Tatum and Brown.

Here's everything you need to know to watch NBA Finals 2024 online, plus the full schedule, TV channels and all the live stream information, with or without cable.

Celtics vs Mavericks TV schedule 2024

(All times ET)

Thursday, June 6

  • Game 1: Mavericks 89-107 Celtics

Sunday, June 9

  • Game 2: Mavericks 98-105 Celtics

Wednesday, June 12

  • Game 3: Celtics 106-99 Mavericks

Friday, June 14

  • Game 4: Celtics 84-122 Mavericks

Monday, June 17

  • 8:30 p.m. – Game 5: Mavericks (1) vs Celtics (3) | ABC & ESPN3

Thursday, June 20

  • 8:30 p.m. – Game 6: Celtics vs Mavericks | ABC & ESPN3

Sunday, June 23

  • 8 p.m. – Game 7: Mavericks vs Celtics | ABC & ESPN3

Watch NBA Finals 2024 in the U.S.

US flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

In the U.S., all seven games of the 2024 NBA Finals are set to be shown on both ABC and ESPN3.

If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package, you can get either of the channels through an OTT cable TV alternative.

Sling TV is one of the better options. It includes ESPN3 in its Orange plan, with prices starting from $40/month and your first month half-price.

Sling TV

You can get ESPN3 on the Sling TV Orange package. Sling Orange comes with 30-plus channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, TNT and TBS. New subscribers get 50% off their first month.

FuboFubo's 7-day free trial

Fubo is a great alternative to a cable package. The Elite Plan ($89.99/month) gets you well over 100 channels including ABC, ESPN and NBA TV. And you can try it all out with Fubo's 7-day free trial.

Watch Celtics vs Mavericks from anywhere

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the Celtics vs Mavericks series on your subscriptions?

You can still watch the NBA Finals live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for hoops fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:

Image

There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 6,000 servers, across 111 countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend.

Get over 60% off with this NordVPN deal

How to watch NBA Finals in the U.K.

British flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) has the rights to NBA basketball in the U.K..  

You can get TNT by subscribing to the Discovery Plus Premium plan for £30.99/month, or you can add TNT Sports through Sky, BT, EE or Virgin Media to watch via your television provider. 

To stream TNT Sports, you'll need Discovery Plus — a combo subscription that allows fans to access TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment all in one place.

The NBA League Pass is another good option, costing from £29.99 for the rest of the season after a 7-day FREE trial.

If you're not in the U.K. right now, you can still watch an NBA Finals live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN

Watch Celtics vs Mavericks in Canada

Canadian flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

TSN has the rights to show 2024 NBA Finals live streams in Canada.

If you don't have cable, you could subscribe to TSN+ instead, which lets you get access to all TSN has to offer on an $8/month or $80/year subscription basis.

Watch NBA Finals 2024 in Australia

Australia flag

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Aussies will find NBA Finals live streams on ESPN via Foxtel.

Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? Specialist streaming service Kayo Sports is also showing the NBA Finals, with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from just $25/month, and hosting plenty of cricket, AFL, rugby, F1 and loads of other live sports besides.

There's also a 7-day FREE trial for anybody who hasn't used the service before.

Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your Kayo account as if you were back home.

More from Tom's Guide

VPN statement

Aatif Sulleyman

Aatif is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about technology, sport and politics for a wide range of publications including TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, The Independent, Trusted Reviews, and Newsweek. These days, he focuses mainly on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: live TV and penny-pinching. When he's not attending a top-flight English soccer match, you can find him perfecting his table tennis skills.