Just one win away from their 18th title in franchise history, the Boston Celtics take on the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4. After winning the opening three games of the finals, the Celtics are now 15-2 in the playoffs and have won 10 straight. They look truly unstoppable, but if there’s one thing you don’t want to underestimate, it’s Luka Dončić with his back against the wall.
Game 4, which could potentially be the final game of the NBA season, is about to begin, at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight. It’ll be on ABC, but if you want to stream the NBA playoffs without cable, here are some easy ways you can watch a live stream of the Celtics vs Mavs.
There are, in fact, several different ways you can watch tonight’s game for free. Fubo (“Pro” channel plan), YouTube TV (“Base Plan”) and DirecTV Stream (“Entertainment” plan or above) are all live-TV streaming services that include ABC (live in most markets) in their channel packages, and they all offer a free trial.
The Fubo free trial is seven days, while the others are each five. Also, the channel packages vary slightly, and there are some differences in the prices long-term. But if you simply want to sign up, watch the game and then cancel your subscription before paying anything, then none of that other stuff matters. Any three of these options will work perfectly fine.
While Sling TV only has ABC available in a small number of markets on, it does come with ESPN3. This is important because ESPN3 simulcasts every NBA on ABC game, which means you can watch a live stream of tonight’s contest on Sling no matter what market you live in (as long as you’re in the United States).
Moreover, Sling doesn’t offer a free trial, but it’s certainly the cheapest way to watch a live stream of the game if you’ve already used up your trials for the other streaming services. The “Sling Orange” channel plan, which is all you need to watch the game, is normally $40 per month but is currently on sale for just $15 for your first month.
Those of you who are outside the United States can use a virtual private network (VPN) to access any of the streaming services we just mentioned. They’re all technically US-only, but a VPN hides your IP address and makes your location unidentifiable. It then connects you to a digital server in the US, allowing you to stream content as if you were actually there.
NordVPN is fast, safe and easy to use. It’s No. 1 on our list of the best VPN services, and it’s what we would recommend to use if you’re trying to stream tonight’s game from abroad.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.