Please read our affiliate disclosure. Learn more.

How to Watch the Miami Heat Live Without Cable in 2024

Written by Derek Fleming

Last updated on

NBA fans in Florida can watch the Heat live without cable on ABC, and ESPN3, ESPN, TNT, and Bally Sports Sun with DIRECTV STREAM “Choice.”

Watch the Miami Heat live online
Miami Heat viewing guide.
Table of Contents
  1. Important Channels
  2. How can I watch the Heat out-of-market?
  3. Can I watch the Miami Heat on ESPN+?
  4. Can I watch the Heat’s playoff games on Bally Sports Florida?
  5. More NBA Team Viewing Guides

If you can’t make it to the Kaseya Center to watch the Heat in person, don’t worry, you can live stream Miami Heat games on most major streaming devices, including Roku, Amazon, iOS, Android, and Samsung devices, to name a few.

Our top pick for watching the Heat is DIRECTV STREAM. With DIRECTV STREAM “Choice,” Heat fans get access to Bally Sports Florida & Sun, plus ABC, ESPN, and TNT for national broadcasts, like the NBA on TNT and the playoffs. DIRECTV STREAM also carries WFOR-TV CBS 4 Miami for watching the Dolphins on Sundays.

DIRECTV STREAM – Choice

Watch ABC, WFOR-TV CBS 4 Miami, ESPN, Bally Sports Florida, TNT, and more.

$99.99 / month

5 Day Free Trial

Sling Orange

Watch ESPN, TNT, and the ABC simulcast on ESPN3.

$35 / month

Explore offers

YouTube TV

Watch ABC, ESPN, and TNT.

$72.99 / month

14 Day Free Trial

Important Channels

During the regular season, most Miami Heat games are broadcast on Bally Sports Florida & Sun, the regional sports networks (RSN) that carry the Heat, Marlins, and Panthers. Heat playoff games are nationally on ABC, ESPN, and TNT.

DIRECTV STREAM – ChoiceDIRECTV STREAMHulu + Live TVSling OrangeYouTube TV
ABC ABC
ESPN ESPN
ESPN3 ESPN3
NBA TV NBA TV
Bally Sports Florida Bally Sports Florida
TNT TNT

If you are a diehard Heat fan and like to watch both the playoffs and regular season, DirecTV Stream “Choice,” as the only live TV streaming provider that carries Bally Sports Florida and the national channels important for NBA fans, is the play here. DirecTV Stream carries ABC, ESPN, and TNT, and upgrading to the “Choice” plan add Bally Sports Florida and Sun.

DIRECTV STREAM “Choice” also includes the channels Miami Hurricane fans need to watch basketball and football games.

DirecTV Stream carries CBS for watching the Dolphins when the NFL season is back-on.

Read our DirecTV Stream sports review.

YouTube TV doesn’t carry Bally Sports Florida, but it does feature ABC, ESPN, and TNT.

This means that the platform isn’t a good solution for watching Heat games in-market. However, if you are a Heat fan out-of-market, for example in NYC, you can add an NBA League Pass subscription to YouTube TV to watch the Heat.

The thing we like about YouTube TV for Miami sports fans is how easy YouTube TV’s family sharing fan is to use for multi-lingual families.

YouTube TV carries CBS for watching the Dolphins when the NFL season is back-on.

Read our YouTube TV sports review.

It depends. You can watch the Heat on Bally Sports Plus only if you live in Tampa or Miami and the game airs on Bally Sports Florida or Sun. You can’t watch the Heat’s playoff games, or national TV games, on Bally Sports Plus, nor can you watch the Heat out-of-market on Bally Sports Plus.


Sling TV is a good option for watching Heat playoff games, as well as out-of-market broadcasts. Sports streaming needs more affordable options, and Sling Orange, with its full lineup of ESPN channels, is best in class for budget conscious sports fans.

Sling TV Orange gets you: ESPN and TNT, as well as ESPN 3.

ESPN 3 is important because Miami Heat fans can use their Sling TV login to access ESPN 3 on the ESPN app to simulcast ABC’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs and Finals. By using this streaming workaround, you can save more than $30 per month vs. competitors. It is also possible to get an air antenna to stream local channels on Sling.

Sports fans can’t stream Bally Sports Florida on Sling TV, so this is the pick if you are the type of NBA fan that only tunes in to watch the playoffs and Finals.

Unfortunately, Sling TV doesn’t carry CBS, so NFL fans in Miami won’t be able to stream Dolphins games on CBS4 Miami.

Read our Sling TV review for sports fans.

How can I watch the Heat out-of-market?

Most Heat games are broadcast regionally on Bally Sports Florida & Sun, channels that are only available if you live in Florida. Outside of Florida, Heat fans can watch the Heat out-of-market with NBA League Pass. YouTube TV, Sling, fuboTV, and DIRECTV STREAM all offer add-ons for NBA League Pass, or you can buy a subscription à la carte on Amazon.

Can I watch the Miami Heat on ESPN+?

No, you can’t watch the Miami Heat on ESPN+. One of the drawbacks of ESPN+, and the reason many media critics don’t recommend the app as a standalone sports streaming option, is the platform lacks NBA, NFL, and marquee college football matchups.

Can I watch the Heat’s playoff games on Bally Sports Florida?

No, you cannot watch the Miami Heat playoff games on Bally Sports Florida. Under the current NBA TV deal, ABC, ESPN, and TNT have exclusive rights to broadcast the NBA playoffs, which means that Bally Sports Florida and Sun will be blacked out for Heat playoff games.


More NBA Team Viewing Guides

Get our Streaming Newsletter!
Get insider tips, top news stories, and the best streaming deals in your inbox.