Technologies

NBA Play-In and Playoffs 2023: How to Watch, Stream Tuesday’s Games Without Cable

The NBA postseason tournament begins, with the first play-in games Tuesday on TNT.

The NBA postseason has begun. After Sunday’s eventful regular season finale closed out an 82-game marathon, Tuesday begins the first batch of the NBA playoffs. TNT will have a double-header Tuesday night, with the Hawks and Heat kicking things off in a battle for the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed and a showdown with the Boston Celtics. The second game of the night will have the fighting Timberwolves heading to Los Angeles to take on LeBron James and the Lakers, with the winner of this contest becoming the Western Conference’s seventh seed and heading to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.

The Timberwolves will be without center Rudy Gobert, who was suspended after punching a teammate during Sunday’s game against the Pelicans, as well as Jaden McDaniels, who is out for the season after punching a wall during the same contest.

Needless to say, the NBA playoffs should be exciting. Here’s everything you need to know about watching and streaming the NBA postseason with or without cable.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers — LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference’s play-in game on Tuesday night.

Harry How/Getty Images

What is the schedule for the play-in games?

The play-in game schedule is as follows (all times ET):

Tuesday, April 11:

Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT; the winner becomes the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed and plays the Boston Celtics
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m. ET on TNT; the winner becomes the Western Conference’s seventh seed and plays the Memphis Grizzlies

Wednesday, April 12:

Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN; the winner plays the loser of the Hawks/Heat game to become the East’s eighth seed and take on the Milwaukee Bucks
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN; the winner plays the loser of the Lakers/Timberwolves game to become the West’s eighth seed and take on the Denver Nuggets

Friday, April 14:

Eastern Conference eighth-seed game, time TBD but it will air on TNT
Western Conference eighth-seed game, time TBD but it will air on ESPN

When do the NBA Playoffs start?

The NBA playoffs start on Saturday, April 15.

The NBA Finals will begin on Thursday, June 1. Game seven of the Finals, if necessary, will take place on Sunday, June 18.

What does the NBA playoff bracket look like?

What channels will broadcast playoff games?

The play-in games will air on TNT and ESPN. The NBA playoffs will air on TNT, ESPN, ABC and NBA TV.

This year TNT will have the Eastern Conference Finals, while ESPN will take the lead on the Western Conference Finals. The NBA Finals will air on ABC.

Best options for streaming the NBA playoffs

As all the games will be shown nationally, most of the major streaming TV services offer all the networks you’ll need for watching the NBA playoffs. That said, it can be a bit complicated.

Sling TV Orange: $40, $60 or $65

Carries ESPN, TNT and NBA TV; ABC requires Orange and Blue combo

Sling TV’s Orange plan includes ESPN and TNT. NBA TV is available as part of the Sports Extra add-on, which costs $11 a month. ABC, however, is only available in eight markets (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Fresno, Houston and Raleigh) and requires the Orange and Blue combo plan if you want ESPN too. That combo plan costs $65 per month in all of those cities except Fresno, Houston and Raleigh, where it costs $60.

See at Sling TV

Hulu Plus Live TV: $70

Carries ESPN, ABC and TNT, but not NBA TV

Hulu Plus Live TV costs $70 a month and ESPN, ABC and TNT, but not NBA TV. Click the «View all channels in your area» link at the bottom of its welcome page to see which local networks are available where you live.

See at Hulu

YouTube TV: $73

Carries ESPN, ABC, NBA TV and TNT

YouTube TV costs $73 a month and offers all the main basketball channels for the NBA playoffs, including NBA TV. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.

See at YouTube

Fubo: $75

Carries ESPN, ABC, NBA TV but not TNT

FuboTV costs $75 per month for its Pro option and ABC, ESPN and NBA TV but not TNT. Check out which local networks it offers here.

See at Fubo

DirecTV Stream: $80, $100

Carries ESPN, ABC, NBA TV and TNT

DirecTV Stream is expensive. It’s the priciest of the five major live TV streaming services. Its cheapest, $65-a-month Entertainment package includes ESPN, ABC, and TNT. You’ll need to move up to the $85-a-month Choice plan to get NBA TV. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels and RSNs are available in your area.

It is worth noting that DirecTV has an additional $15 «advanced receiver service» fee that automatically applies and is extra from the sticker price, which makes the Entertainment package $80 per month and the Choice option $100 per month.

See at DirecTV Stream

Each live TV streaming service offers a free trial, allows you to cancel anytime and requires a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.