How to watch Knicks-Cavaliers, Thunder-Spurs

PCMag published a how-to guide on May 22 laying out where viewers can watch this weekend’s NBA conference finals without a traditional cable package. The guide covers the New York Knicks-Cleveland Cavaliers series in the East and the Oklahoma City Thunder-San Antonio Spurs series in the West. It says the games are split across ESPN, NBC and Peacock under the NBA’s new playoff distribution setup. ESPN says the 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3 on ABC. ### Which games is the guide focused on this weekend? PCMag said the Knicks and Cavaliers are set to play again at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 23, with another game scheduled for Monday, May 25. The same guide said Thunder-Spurs Game 3 is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 22, and Game 4 for 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 24. (au.pcmag.com) Sporting News also described the conference finals as part of a broader 2026 playoff schedule spread across multiple broadcast partners. Its schedule guide says the postseason now runs through a mix of ABC, ESPN, NBC and streaming outlets, with the Finals remaining on ABC. ### Where do Knicks-Cavaliers games stream if you do not have cable? (au.pcmag.com) PCMag said this weekend’s Knicks-Cavaliers games air on ESPN. The publication said viewers without a cable package need access to ESPN through a streaming subscription or a pay-TV login. PCMag listed Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, Fubo TV and Verizon FiOS as services or providers that can give viewers access to ESPN. (sportingnews.com) It also said people who subscribe to a Disney bundle that includes ESPN can use that route to watch the games. For viewers looking for a trial option, PCMag pointed to FuboTV’s seven-day free trial. (au.pcmag.com) ### How do cord-cutters watch Thunder-Spurs? PCMag said the Thunder-Spurs games this weekend air on NBC and Peacock. That means viewers can watch through Peacock directly or through a service that carries NBC, depending on the game and their setup. PCMag said Peacock no longer offers a free trial, but pointed readers to Walmart+ as an alternative path because the ad-supported Peacock tier is included with a Walmart+ subscription. (au.pcmag.com) The guide said Walmart+ is currently offering a 30-day trial for $1. ### Why are the playoff viewing options more fragmented this year? (au.pcmag.com) Sporting News said the 2026 playoffs introduced a “three-pronged distribution model” built around ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock and Prime Video. PCMag similarly said the NBA split playoff games this year among ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock and Amazon. (au.pcmag.com) That means viewers may need more than one app or login depending on the series. Sporting News said games airing on ABC, ESPN and NBC are also available through DIRECTV Stream, while Peacock, the ESPN app and Prime Video each carry portions of the postseason based on rights allocations. (sportingnews.com) ### What should viewers check before tipoff? PCMag framed its guide as a step-by-step viewing roadmap for people using phones, TVs and streaming devices over the holiday weekend. The article tells readers to match each game to its network first, then confirm whether they need an ESPN-linked subscription, a Peacock plan or a live-TV bundle. (sportingnews.com) ESPN said the playoff field is down to four teams, with the Finals beginning June 3. For this weekend, the next listed conference-finals windows are Thunder-Spurs on Friday, May 22, Knicks-Cavaliers on Saturday, May 23, and Thunder-Spurs again on Sunday, May 24. (espn.com) (au.pcmag.com)