Of course, you could get another country’s IP address with a VPN to access these broadcasters, but this would be against any platform’s terms of service, and my team and I don’t condone any illegal activity, such as circumventing geo-restrictions. Even if you live where these platforms are available, you must still secure your connection with a VPN to avoid getting spied on or leaking your IP address. ExpressVPN offers the best security without compromising speeds, and you can try ExpressVPN risk-free. The 30-day money-back guarantee lets you get a full refund if you’re unsatisfied. Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology. Try ExpressVPN risk-free
Quick Guide: 4 Easy Steps to Watch the NBA Playoffs From Anywhere
Where to Watch the 2025 NBA Playoffs Without Cable
You can watch the NBA Playoffs on multiple sites without a cable subscription, but be aware that some of these services require a local credit card or PayPal account.
How a VPN Keeps You Safe While Watching the 2025 NBA Playoffs
A VPN safeguards your online activity by using military-grade encryption standards, such as AES 256-bit. Plus, top VPNs ensure they never keep logs of your online activity, thus keeping your activity private. You’ll also get tools like leak protection and kill switches with the best VPNs for added layers of security. Of course, not every VPN is effective. In my tests, I’ve found that ExpressVPN is the best choice for staying completely safe online. It has AES 256-bit encryption, a no-logs policy, RAM-based servers, and various other tools to ensure you remain protected and anonymous.
The Best VPNs to Watch the NBA Playoffs in 2025
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN for Watching the NBA Playoffs With Zero Buffering
Key Features: ExpressVPN is the #1 VPN for safely watching NBA Playoff games without buffering or pixelation. During tests, my colleague in the US watched matches on multiple official NBA Playoff broadcasters, including DAZN, Hulu, and Sling TV. It takes only a few seconds to get connected to ExpressVPN — just choose from the list or search for a country. After I tested multiple countries, they all took less than 6 seconds, and the closest servers took just 2 seconds to connect! The speeds you get with ExpressVPN are more than fast enough for quality streaming, so you don’t miss any buzzer-beaters during the playoffs. Surprisingly, my slowest speed during testing was 126Mbps with the New York servers (11,000 km+ from me!). Of course, you also get airtight protection with ExpressVPN. The app offers AES 256-bit encryption, a no-logs policy, RAM-based servers, leak protection, a built-in kill switch, and more. All these tools work together to ensure you always remain safe and anonymous while streaming or doing anything else online. You can also try ExpressVPN risk-free. Its 30-day money-back guarantee lets you ask for a full refund if you’re unsatisfied. I asked for a refund via the 24/7 live chat after 2 weeks of testing its features. The agent approved the refund with no questions asked, and I had the money back in my account just 4 days later. You can get your refund even faster (within a few hours) if you paid with PayPal. Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
2. CyberGhost — Optimized Sports Streaming Servers to Safely Watch the NBA Playoffs
Key Features: ExpressVPN is compatible with: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Chromebook, Kodi, Linux, Android TV, Fire TV, various smart TVs, select routers, and more. CyberGhost’s optimized servers make it easy to safely enjoy lag-free streams of NBA playoff games. It has 4 dedicated sports streaming servers with NBA Playoff access (ESPN, Sling TV, Hulu, and YouTube TV) that are specially optimized for streaming. These will give you the least lag and fastest speeds for high-quality video, ensuring you don’t miss a single minute of the playoffs! During tests, the slowest speed I reached with CyberGhost was 151Mbps with a New York server. So, the speeds are always fast enough for watching the games in UHD while multitasking online. The provider also supports multiple simultaneous connections, meaning you can watch NBA games on up to 7 devices at once! You’ll also get AES 256-bit encryption, leak protection, and other safety features with CyberGhost for online safety and privacy. I ran multiple leak tests while connected to the VPN’s servers, and it never compromised my actual IP address. You can try CyberGhost risk-free, as it has a 45-day money-back guarantee. I checked the policy by signing up for a 1-month plan and then contacted customer support through the live chat. Although the agent tried to convince me to stay, they immediately confirmed the refund after I told them I just didn’t need the service anymore. I received the refund transfer just 3 days later! Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as CyberGhost VPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Generous Device Connection Allowance to Safely Watch the Playoffs With Friends and Family
Key Features: CyberGhost is compatible with: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Android TV, Fire TV, Apple TV, Kodi, various Smart TVs, select routers, and more. PIA lets you share your VPN connection with your household so you can stay safe while watching the Playoffs together on unlimited devices. My team and I tested PIA with 10 devices and maintained high-quality streams during the tests. This means you’ll never have to miss a slam dunk because of lagging or interruptions. PIA is a great option for new VPN users as its app interface is super user-friendly. It took me under a minute to set up my connection! All I had to do was select the US as my preferred country and press “On”. The only minor downside to PIA is that its speeds tend to slow down based on your distance from the server. My colleague experienced slower speeds when they connected to the “US East” server from their location in California. As with anything you’re potentially spending money on, I recommend you test PIA for yourself with its 30-day money-back guarantee. I tested the refund myself by connecting to the 24/7 live chat to ask for a refund. The PIA agent approved my request within minutes and my money was back in my account within 6 working days. Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.
Free VPNs Can’t Keep You Safe While Watching the 2025 NBA Playoffs — Here’s Why
I’ve done in-depth research on the best available free VPNs, but I wouldn’t recommend any for watching the NBA Playoffs due to technical or security issues. Free VPNs are a bad choice for streaming because of their limited bandwidth, speeds, and small server networks. Because of the risk of overcrowding, these servers might become unstable quite swiftly, causing regular buffering or even full connection interruptions. Moreover, their restricted resources make it difficult to maintain their IP and DNS addresses accurately, making them ineffective in bypassing restrictions set by major streaming platforms. Since free VPNs need to make money, they’re known to sell your personal information when you use them. Some even sell user data to advertisers or give malicious third parties access to your network. You can avoid all of these issues by choosing a quality premium VPN with a money-back guarantee. ExpressVPN has a large network of fast and responsive servers, making it perfect for streaming the NBA Playoffs. You can try it risk-free with its money-back guarantee.
Safely Watch the 2025 NBA Playoffs Today!
It’s safe to say that you need to protect yourself with a VPN before catching up on the intense NBA playoff action. Otherwise, you risk hackers spying on your activity, and you might even leak sensitive details like your IP address, thus compromising your privacy.
Secure your devices and personal data. A VPN encrypts your devices, helping your data and internet traffic stay hidden from malicious parties and hackers. I always use a VPN on public WiFi to keep my devices secure from malicious users. Torrent anonymously. When I use a VPN, I receive a temporary new IP and DNS address, which ensures that these downloads are not linked to my actual identity.
Thankfully, the above VPNs provide reliable security with military-grade encryption, leak protection, and other useful safety features. Of my top choices, ExpressVPN is the best overall option. Besides securing your activity with AES 256-bit encryption and other features, ExpressVPN always maintains superfast connection speeds. Best of all, you can try ExpressVPN risk-free. The 30-day money-back guarantee lets you ask for a full refund if you’re unsatisfied with its performance.
Summary — These Are the Best VPNs to Watch the 2025 NBA Playoffs
Editor’s Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.