The Oklahoma City Thunder, holders of the best record in the Western Conference this regular season, will host the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series on Tuesday, May 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The matchup pits Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's high-seeded Thunder - fresh off a dominant four-game dismissal of the Phoenix Suns - against LeBron James' Lakers, who advanced after eliminating the Houston Rockets in six hard-fought contests. For fans looking to follow every moment, the broadcasting landscape in 2026 offers more entry points than ever before, though the sheer volume of options can make choosing the right one genuinely confusing.
Where and When to Watch Each Game
The full seven-game schedule spans three weeks, with the first four contests split across NBC, Peacock, Prime Video, and ABC. Games 1 and 3 air on NBC and ABC respectively, making them accessible via Peacock's Premium tiers. Games 2 and 4 land exclusively on Prime Video, requiring an active Amazon subscription. Games 5 through 7, if necessary, have yet to be assigned broadcast homes.
- Tuesday, May 5 - Game 1: 8:30 p.m. ET | Lakers at Thunder | NBC, Peacock
- Thursday, May 7 - Game 2: 9:30 p.m. ET | Lakers at Thunder | Prime Video
- Saturday, May 9 - Game 3: 8:30 p.m. ET | Thunder at Lakers | ABC, ESPN Unlimited
- Monday, May 11 - Game 4: 10:30 p.m. ET | Thunder at Lakers | Prime Video
- Wednesday, May 13 - Game 5*: TBA | Lakers at Thunder | TBA
- Saturday, May 16 - Game 6*: TBA | Thunder at Lakers | TBA
- Monday, May 18 - Game 7*: TBA | Lakers at Thunder | TBA
*If necessary
The Case for DIRECTV's MySports Pack
Among live television streaming services, DIRECTV carries more of cable's top 35 channels than any competing platform - a meaningful distinction when a single postseason series is split across four different broadcast outlets. For viewers who want a single subscription to cover all eventualities, DIRECTV's MySports Pack runs $65 per month and includes NBC, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, FS1, FS2, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, NHL Network, SEC Network, TBS, TNT, and USA Network, with CBS, Fox, and local NBC affiliates available depending on market. The plan also bundles a free ESPN Unlimited subscription, which adds on-demand depth to the live lineup.
New subscribers receive a five-day free trial - a guaranteed window, unlike some competitors whose trial lengths vary based on undisclosed factors. For those who want to add regional broadcast coverage of local franchises, the MyHome Team add-on costs an additional $20 per month and provides access to regional sports networks. DIRECTV's Genre Pack structure, introduced last year, allows subscribers to select channel bundles around specific interests rather than paying for sprawling all-in packages they will never fully use.
Peacock, Prime Video, and the Fragmented Rights Picture
The distribution of this series across multiple platforms reflects a broader structural shift in how broadcast rights are being packaged and sold in the streaming era. Rights holders increasingly favor multi-platform deals that expand total viewership, but the practical consequence for consumers is added friction: following a single series from start to finish may require two or three separate active subscriptions.
Peacock Premium, which covers the NBC-broadcast contests, is available at $11 per month. Peacock Premium Plus, priced at $17 per month, adds the ability to stream a subscriber's local NBC affiliate - useful for viewers whose market-level broadcast feed matters. Prime Video, meanwhile, requires an active Amazon Prime membership to access its two exclusive broadcast windows in this series.
Streaming Away From Home: VPN Considerations
Viewers who find themselves outside their home market - whether traveling domestically or internationally - can use a Virtual Private Network to maintain access to their existing subscriptions. A VPN routes connection traffic through a server in a chosen location, making the user appear to be accessing content from that region. This does not replace the need for an active streaming subscription; it supplements it by preserving geographic eligibility.
ExpressVPN, which operates servers across more than 100 countries and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, is one of the more established options on the market, with current pricing starting around $5 per month. Budget-conscious alternatives include NordVPN from approximately $3.09 per month, Surfshark from $2.50 per month, and Proton VPN, which offers a functional free tier for users who need only basic coverage.
