The Boston Celtics hit the north to take on the reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors. It’s a divisional clash at Scotiabank Arena in downtown Toronto to kick off the NBA’s Christmas Day pageantry.
The resurgent Celtics are lead by Kemba Walker, who came over in free agency from Charlotte. The All-NBA player has brought the Celtics back in line after a tumultuous season with Kyrie Irving as the team’s top star.
| HOW TO STREAM CELTICS VS. RAPTORS | |
| SLING TV | TRY NOW |
| HULU WITH LIVE TV | TRY NOW |
| AT&T TV NOW | TRY NOW |
Kemba Walker emphasizes how much Jaylen and Jayson make his job easier (presented by https://t.co/Av8GdCAzPA) pic.twitter.com/JyePirAAHj
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 19, 2019
Toronto continues to win, despite playing without leading scorer Pascal Siakam (out with a groin injury), center Marc Gasol (sidelined with a left hamstring issue) and guard Norman Powell (out with a left shoulder injury). Siakam and Powell are day-to-day.
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors
- When: 12pm ET, Wednesday, Dec. 25
- Where: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario
- Streaming: NBA TV
Stream NBA games: 5 ways to watch NBA games online
1) Sling TV
- Cost: $25-$40 per month
- Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire TVs, Android Fire Stick, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, and iOS and Android devices
- Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)
- Channels included: TNT, ESPN (Sling Orange, Sling Orange + Blue), NBC Sports (Sling Blue, Sling Orange + Blue), and NBA TV (with add-on), ESPN3 (NBA on ABC games are simulcast on the channel with Sling Orange subscription)
Sling TV has two distinct channel packages, both of which are priced at $25 per month. You want Sling Orange, which comes with both ESPN and TNT. From there you can add the Sling Orange Sports Pack for $5 per month to unlock NBA TV. That means you get by at just $30 per month. That said, if you live the Bay Area, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, Portland, or Washington, D.C., you might want to upgrade to Sling Orange + Blue ($40 per month) so that you can get local coverage from NBC Sports. There’s just one drawback: Sling TV doesn’t offer ABC in its local channels (or provide an on-demand alternative). With most ABC live games, you can stream via the WatchESPN app. Here’s hoping that proves true when it comes to streaming NBA games. Otherwise, you’ll want to invest in an HD antenna. (Here’s a complete guide to Sling TV channels.) As noted previously, Sling TV is the only service that allows you to include NBA League Pass as an add-on.
Game-changing feature: Price. Sling TV allows you to stream NBA games without breaking the bank.
2) Hulu with Live TV
- Cost: $54.99 per month
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
- Hulu local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)
- Channels included: ABC, ESPN, TNT, NBCSN
Hulu with Live TV doesn’t offer a way to watch NBA TV, but if that’s not a deal-breaker, it’s a great way to watch NBA games online. Plus, each subscription unlocks Hulu’s deep catalog of TV shows and movies, so you’ll have plenty to watch after the final whistle blows. For an extra $4 per month, you can upgrade to Hulu with No Commercials.
Game-changing feature: Every subscription comes with free access to Hulu’s on-demand library, meaning you can catch up on all of your favorite shows. (Here are our picks for the best movies on Hulu, Hulu documentaries, anime, and the must-see Hulu originals.)
3) AT&T Now
- Cost: $50-$135 per month
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, iOS and Android devices
- Local channels: NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
There’s a good chance that you’re already looking to AT&T for your wireless needs. The second you sign up you’ll gain instant access to 45+ channels, including local channels and even free HBO on PLUS and MAX channel suites. Plus, it comes with CloudDVR which lets you record up to 20 hours of TV per month. One account works on two devices, but you can add more devices for only $5.
TRY AT&T TV NOW
4) YouTube TV
- Cost: $49.99 per month
- YouTube TV devices: Google Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices
- Local channels: NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
- Channels included: ABC, NBA TV, TNT, NBC Sports, ESPN
Like Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV offers just one package of channels, and it’s a stacked lineup for sports, with everything you need to stream NBA games. YouTube TV also includes FS1, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and CBS Sports Network. (You can find the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
Game-changing feature: You can add up to six accounts per household, and each one of those accounts gets unlimited cloud DVR. Even better: You can fast-forward through ads in recorded programs.
5) NBA League Pass
Real ballers splurge for NBA League Pass. The premium service lets you stream more NBA games than you could possibly count (basically everything that’s not already on national TV or subject to local blackouts). It’s a bit pricey, but you can save some money with NBA Team Pass, which follows the same broadcast restrictions but focuses on one specific team (all the games for the New York Knicks, for example). If you’re only interested in specific matchups, you can buy single NBA games, and new this year, you can purchase just the fourth quarter for $1.99. Both NBA League Pass and Team Pass also offer games in VR.
You can order NBA League Pass and NBA Team Pass online from NBA.com or as part of B/R Live or a Sling TV subscription. No matter which one you choose, it’s going to cost the same.
NBA League Pass price breakdown (the Christmas sale edition):
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- NBA League Pass (all teams): $199 per year or $28.99 per month (now down to $149.99 for the remainder of the season)
- NBA League Pass Premium (all teams + in-arena stream): $249.99 per year or $39.99 per month (but now just $179.99 for the remainder of the season)
- NBA Team Pass (one team): $119.99 per year or $17.99 per month (but now available for $89.99 from Christmas through the rest of the season)
- NBA League Pass Audio: $9.99 per year
- NBA League Pass single games: $6.99
- NBA League Pass fourth-quarter action: $1.99 per game
NBA League Pass devices: Amazon Fire TV and Kindle devices, Roku 3 and 4, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung smart TVs, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and 4, Amazon Alexa and Amazon Echo, Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream View, PlayStation VR, Windows Mixed Reality, iOS, and Android devices.
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors: What to watch for
No matter how to shake it, Kemba Walker has been a much better basketball and culture fit for the Celtics than Kyrie Irving. Irving’s moods have been criticized, even now as a Net, but anxiety and mood disorders aren’t laughing matters. That said, head coach Brad Stevens has to be pleased with Walker’s steady production.
As is typical for a PG playing under Brad Stevens, 3x All-Star and 1x All-NBA PG Kemba Walker is having his most efficient season in Boston. On pace to set new career bests in:
— Marc D’Amico (@Marc_DAmico) December 20, 2019
PER at 23.51 (prev best = 21.72)
TS% at 59.1% (57.2%)
3P% at 41.1% (39.9%)
FT% at 88.2% (86.4%)
Walker, though, will have his work cut out for him against Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.
NBA podcast: Week 9 review
Check out the author’s NBA podcast covering news of the last seven days in the league. The crew talks about how mid-season tournaments, all-decade teams, and Kawhi Leonard’s Uncle Dennis. Also, they’d like you to listen and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to your favorites.
Listen below (also NSFW)
https://soundcloud.com/user-710928718/nba-edition-episode-812232019all-decade
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