How to Watch the NBA Preseason (Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs) in 2022

NBA season is upon us, but if you’re like me and are in an area without licensing rights, you know that watching the games live is nearly impossible. Don’t waste time following fake streams or trying to get around error messages. No matter where in the world you are, you can watch Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs in the Preseason using my tried-and-tested methods.

I found that using a VPN is the only dependable way to get around NBA blackouts. VPNs are privacy apps that hide your actual location. When you use one, you can pretend to be anywhere in the world, tricking streaming sites into unlocking content. With a VPN, I was able to buy and use a super-cheap NBA International League Pass subscription so I can catch every game.

I did all the hard work of figuring out the easiest way to access NBA games. I also tested over 30 top VPNs to find those that can beat geo-restrictions so you can stream from anywhere. I found ExpressVPN to be the most reliable.

Why You Need a VPN to Watch the NBA Preseason

In short: If you’re not in an area that’s broadcasting the NBA, you’re excluded from the excitement. Broadcasting agreements and copyright licenses dictate where the NBA Preseason can be shown. Some viewers get to watch the action live, while fans in other locales may have to wait days for a rebroadcast or be blocked entirely.

A VPN can help you access restricted NBA games from anywhere. It connects you to servers around the world to make it seem like you're browsing from a country licensed to broadcast the NBA (which helps you bypass geo-blocks from sports streaming platforms).

As an added bonus, VPNs can also help you unlock lower prices. Take a look at what happened when I compared the price of NBA League Pass in a couple of countries:

When you connect to an India server to buy an International League Pass subscription, you can save up to 75%!

ExpressVPN has never let me down with speeds — and it impressed me once again when I used it to live-stream the NBA. Every server I tested had fast and stable speeds of more than 50 Mbps (you really only need 5 Mbps to stream in HD), which is more than enough for you to watch the game with crystal-clear resolution and no interruptions. I had zero lag as well, so I didn’t miss out on any NBA action!

With access to 3,000 servers, I didn’t have any trouble finding a server that worked to unblock the games I wanted. Connecting to the servers only took a few seconds, and I could load my geo-restricted International League Pass without a problem. You can connect to any server outside the US or Canada to watch Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs instantly. (I tried India and the UK, and they both worked).

ExpressVPN is slightly more premium than other providers, but its proven performance makes it worth the price. Here’s what most people don’t know — you can actually save up to 49% when you take advantage of its latest discount. The deal might change so be sure to check and see if it’s still available.

If you’re not ready to commit to a subscription,  you can try it out completely risk-free. You have 30 days to ask for a refund if you're not happy with it. I tested out the refund policy and found it to be really straightforward. The customer support agent did ask me some questions about why I wanted to cancel my subscription, but then quickly processed my request. I got my money back within 5 days, which was surprisingly quick!

Where Can I Watch Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs?

Not all broadcasters stream all matches — some only have deals to broadcast certain games. This makes it tricky to know which platform to sign-up for to gain an all-access pass to the NBA games. Here’s a shortlist of the best options for you to catch the latest NBA action.

USA

The NBA Preseason games are split between 4 broadcasters in the US. This means that to catch all the action, you’ll need to subscribe to a streaming platform that includes ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT.

• Sling TV — This is my first choice in the US as it’s the cheapest compared to all other options. You can also access it from anywhere in the world as long as you have a VPN connected to a US server. With Sling TV's Orange plan, you'll pay $30 per month for ABC, ESPN, and TNT. To add NBA TV, you'll need to purchase the NBA Team Pass for an extra $17.99 per month, bringing your total to $47.99 per month to catch all the NBA games live. You also get a 3-day trial.
  
  
• YouTube TV — YouTube TV makes things easy by offering just one tier at $64.99 per month, which includes all the channels you need for watching the NBA Preseason. It also offers a 7-day free trial so you can test out the service.
  
  
• AT&T Now — You’ll find all 4 channels for watching the NBA Preseason on AT&T Now’s XTRA package. The price tag is steep at $124 per month, so I’d only recommend this option if you’re already a subscriber. If you want to give it a try, there is a 7-day trial so you can watch free for a week.
  

Canada