Celtics vs Mavs Game 3 live stream: Can you watch for free?

Desperately needing a victory, the Dallas Mavericks return home for Game 3 of the NBA finals against the Boston Celtics. The C’s held out at home in the first two contests, and now the pressure has really mounted on Luka Dončić and the Mavs, setting this one up as a potential thriller.

Game 3 is just about to start, at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight, and will be televised on ABC. However, if you don’t have cable or you want to stream the NBA playoffs for any other reason, we have a bevy of different ways you can watch a live stream of the Celtics vs Mavs for free or cheap.

Is There a Free Celtics vs Mavs Game 3 Live Stream?

Most live-TV streaming services include ABC. However, some have ABC live more markets than others, while only a couple offer a free trial. The three that check both boxes are  Fubo (“Pro” channel plan), YouTube TV (“Base Plan”) and DirecTV Stream (“Entertainment” plan or above). All three include ABC in most markets in the United States, and all three offer a free trial.

The Fubo free trial lasts for seven days. So, if you sign up today, you’ll be able to watch a live stream of Game 3 (today), Game 4 (Friday) and Game 5 (Monday, if necessary) before you either cancel your subscription or pay for the first month. But if the series goes longer than that, you can use a free trial for either YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream (both trials are five days) to get you through to a potential Game 7.

Watch the Celtics vs Mavs Game 3 Live Stream on Sling TV

If you’ve run out of free trial options, the cheapest way to watch a live stream of the game is through Sling TV. ABC isn’t available in many markets on Sling, but the “Sling Orange” channel package does come with ESPN3, which simulcasts all NBA on ABC games. It’s normally $40 per month, but if you’re a new subscriber, you can get it for just $15 for your first month.

Watch the Celtics vs Mavs Game 3 Live Stream from Abroad

If you’re out of the United States, you won’t be able to access any of the previously mentioned streaming services unless you have a virtual private network (VPN). Essentially, a VPN hides your IP address and makes it look–in the digital sense–like you’re actually in a different country. This lets you stream location-restricted content from around the world.

We would go with NordVPN, which is reliable, fast and–perhaps most importantly–very easy to use. It doesn’t have a free trial, but it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee to let you try it out risk-free. As No. 1 on our list of the best VPN services, there isn’t much risk anyways.