Madison Square Garden, the most storied indoor venue in American professional basketball, becomes the center of the sports broadcasting universe on Monday, May 4, when the No. 3 New York Knicks open their second-round Eastern Conference Playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers at 8 p.m. ET. The game airs on NBC and streams on Peacock, marking a significant moment in the ongoing reshaping of how live postseason basketball reaches its audience. For viewers deciding how to watch, the options have never been more numerous - or more varied in value.
How the Two Franchises Arrived Here
The path to this series required both clubs to survive grueling first-round encounters. New York dispatched the Atlanta Hawks in six contests, a relatively efficient outcome that preserved roster health heading into this more demanding series. Philadelphia's route was considerably more arduous - a seven-game battle against the Boston Celtics that tested depth, conditioning, and resolve in equal measure. The Sixers emerge from that series battle-tested but potentially fatigued, a dynamic that may quietly shape the early portion of this matchup even before a single possession unfolds.
The Full Series Schedule and Where to Watch
The series runs through late May, with the first four contests already assigned broadcast homes. Game 1 on May 4 and Game 2 on May 6 are both hosted in New York, airing on NBC and ESPN respectively. Games 3 and 4 shift to Philadelphia on May 8 and May 10, broadcast on Prime Video and ABC. Should the series extend, Games 5 through 7 have dates reserved but broadcast assignments are pending. The full confirmed schedule is as follows:
- Monday, May 4 - Game 1, 8 p.m. ET | NBC, Peacock | Philadelphia at New York
- Wednesday, May 6 - Game 2, 7 p.m. ET | ESPN, ESPN Unlimited | Philadelphia at New York
- Friday, May 8 - Game 3, 7 p.m. ET | Prime Video | New York at Philadelphia
- Sunday, May 10 - Game 4, 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN Unlimited | New York at Philadelphia
- Tuesday, May 12 - Game 5 (if necessary) | TBA
- Thursday, May 14 - Game 6 (if necessary) | TBA
- Sunday, May 17 - Game 7 (if necessary) | TBA
The distribution of broadcast rights across NBC, ESPN, Prime Video, and ABC reflects the increasingly fragmented landscape of live rights deals in American media. No single platform holds the full series, which means viewers who want to follow every contest from start to finish will likely need access to multiple services.
Streaming Options: What Makes Financial Sense
For viewers without traditional cable, live TV streaming services offer the most flexible path to watching the full series. DIRECTV stands out for breadth: its MySports Pack, priced at $65 per month, bundles an extensive roster of cable channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, TNT, TBS, NBA TV, and - depending on local market - NBC and ABC. A five-day free trial is available to all new subscribers, which covers Game 1 without any financial commitment. An optional MyHome Team add-on at $20 per month extends access to regional sports networks for viewers who want local coverage beyond national broadcasts.
Fubo presents a serviceable alternative, though its trial terms are notably opaque. The duration can vary from one to seven days based on undisclosed internal criteria, making it harder to plan around than DIRECTV's consistent five-day guarantee.
For Game 1 specifically - airing on NBC - Peacock offers a direct and lower-cost path. Peacock Premium costs $11 per month; the Premium Plus tier, at $17 per month, adds a live local NBC feed in all 210 U.S. markets. Neither tier requires a longer commitment, making either a reasonable single-game solution for viewers who do not need access to ESPN or Prime Video games later in the series.
Watching From Outside the United States
Viewers traveling internationally during the series can maintain access to their existing subscriptions through a Virtual Private Network. A VPN routes a device's connection through a server in the subscriber's home country, allowing geo-restricted content to appear as though accessed domestically. ExpressVPN, currently available from approximately $5 per month with a 30-day refund window, operates servers across 105 countries and is widely regarded as reliable for streaming purposes. Budget-conscious alternatives include NordVPN (from $3.09 per month), Surfshark (from $2.50 per month), and Proton VPN, which offers a functional free tier. A VPN does not substitute for an active streaming subscription - it enables an existing one to function across borders.