Getty LeBron James will play on Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets.
Despite the toll of COVID-19 protocols the Brooklyn Nets-Los Angeles Lakers matchup will at least feature the game’s biggest star on Christmas Day.
The game (8 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on both ESPN and ABC. But if you don’t have cable, here are some different ways you can watch a live stream of the Nets vs Lakers online:
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of ABC (live in most markets), ESPN and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the Nets vs Lakers live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
You can also watch live via ESPN.com or the ESPN app. You only need to sign in to a participating internet service provider to watch games on ABC (labeled ESPN3), but if you don’t have that, you can use your Fubo credentials to log in and watch.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ABC (live in most markets) and ESPN are included in every one, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but your “due today” amount will be $0 when signing up. If you watch on your computer, phone or tablet, you won’t be charged for 14 days. If you watch on a streaming device on your TV (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, etc.), you will be charged for the first month, but you can get still get a full refund if you cancel before 14 days:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the Nets vs Lakers live on the DirecTV Stream app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
You can also watch live via ESPN.com or the ESPN app. You only need to sign in to a participating internet service provider to watch games on ABC (labeled ESPN3), but if you don’t have that, you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials (may still be listed as AT&T on the list of cable providers) to log in and watch.
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN3 (which simulcasts ABC content), ESPN and 30-plus other live TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” package, which comes with a free three-day trial:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the Nets vs Lakers live on the Sling TV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Sling TV website.
You can also watch live via ESPN.com or the ESPN app. You only need to sign in to a participating internet service provider to watch games on ABC (labeled ESPN3), but if you don’t have that, you can use your Sling credentials to log in and watch.
Vidgo
You can watch a live stream of ABC (live in only a few select markets), ESPN and 90+ other TV channels on Vidgo, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for Vidgo, you can watch the Nets vs Lakers live on the Vidgo app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Vidgo website.
You can also watch live via ESPN.com or the ESPN app. You only need to sign in to a participating internet service provider to watch games on ABC (labeled ESPN3), but if you don’t have that, you can use your Vidgo credentials to log in and watch.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of ABC (live in most markets), ESPN and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which now also includes both ESPN+ and Disney+ as part of their special bundle:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the Nets vs Lakers live on the Hulu app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website.
You can also watch live via ESPN.com or the ESPN app. You only need to sign in to a participating internet service provider to watch games on ABC (labeled ESPN3), but if you don’t have that, you can use your Hulu credentials to log in and watch.
Nets vs Lakers Preview
LeBron James will play in his 16th Christmas Day game amid the hits by COVID-19 protocols to his Los Angeles Lakers squad (16-17) and the Brooklyn Nets (21-9).
Los Angeles has Travis Ariza, Austin Reaves, and Kent Bazemore out due to COVID protocols. Guard Kendrick Nunn cleared COVID protocols on Dec. 19, but he still has a knee injury according to Dan Wolke of the Los Angeles Times via ESPN.
Brooklyn won’t play Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Cam Thomas, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Day’Ron Sharpe because of COVID protocols. Irving recently got cleared to return to the Nets after previously being sidelined by the team for the season due his refusal of taking the COVID vaccine. New York City’s COVID protocols require vaccination to play indoor sports.
Irving has been vocal about not getting the vaccine but said in early December that he could compromise and take a plant-based vaccine instead. Irving, like many other high-profile athletes who have refused the vaccine, have taken plenty of heat for their decisions.
James, who won’t get to face his old Cavaliers teammate on Saturday, recently aired his beef about the COVID protocol carousel in the league. Star players have been sidelined and games have been moved, but the NBA staunchly kept its ABC-broadcasted Christmas Day games together.
“Help me out folks,” James wrote on Instagram with a Spiderman meme.
James voiced his thoughts on COVID testing after the Lakers’ fourth-straight loss, a 138-110 loss to San Antonio, on Thursday, Dec. 23.
“It’s literally a crapshoot every single time you take a test at this point on who is negative and who is positive. You just gotta see who is available and go from there,” James told the media.
Meanwhile, James will try to get the Lakers back to .500 and end the losing streak. He shouldered the load in three of those losses with 31 or more points.
“We have no chemistry with any lineup from the simple fact that we haven’t logged any minutes,” James told the media. “All of our defensive guys are in health and safety protocols. … We don’t need a full roster. We just need some of our guys back.”
James, Russell Westbrook, Wayne Ellington, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Dwight Howard are projected to start against the Nets according to NBA.com. For the Nets, James Harden, Blake Griffin, Paul Milsap, Patty Mills, DeAndre Bembry most likely will start per NBA.com.