Who here is ready for some quality swishes and Alley-oops?
Well, if you can’t wait to watch some high-quality NBA Summer League action then you have come to the right place.
The 2021 edition of NBA Summer League is less than a month away from us.
You are free to stay at home and watch NBA Summer League if your office doesn’t allow live streams but we will let you know some ways via which you can watch NBA Summer League in your office as well.
Anyway, let’s start things off with some dates.
Currently, the NBA Summer League tournament will run from the 1st of July 2021 to the 15th of July 2021.
For some, it is actually a historic event.
And perhaps it is because each and every NBA team is going to compete in it.
The fortunate thing for all of us here is that the likes of NBA TV and ESPN are working overtime in order to bring all the matches directly to our big/small screens.
There is one caveat though.
ESPN and NBA TV are only interested in people who are living in the US.
If you do not reside in America then these streaming services might as well shut down for you because they do not work for people outside America.
You can check this fact for yourself right now by going to the official website of either ESPN or NBA TV.
Once you try to access content on these sites, they will smack you with an error message.
Sometimes they even block you.
Living abroad may have its advantages but it definitely has some tangible disadvantages if you want to stream stuff from the internet.
But don’t you worry.
In this guide, we will talk about all the things that you need to know about in order to watch NBA Summer League 2021 from home.
Once you are done with this guide, you will know how to bypass geo-restrictions on streaming sites and watch NBA Summer League edition 2021 live and online.
Table of Contents
How to watch NBA Summer League on NBA TV and ESPN
Yes.
You do have dedicated channels trying their best to broadcast the entire basketball championship.
But the thing about these channels is that they expect all the users to reside in the US.
As mentioned before, without living in the US you can’t stream anything from these channels.
NBA TV and ESPN are American channels and thus it makes a lot of sense that they only want to serve American residents.
But how do they know your location?
Well, streaming services such as NBA TV, ESPN, and Netflix along with many others record the user’s IP address whenever the user tries to access their streams.
Then they use that IP address to determine the user’s location.
Once these services have managed to pinpoint the user’s location and know that the user is located outside the US, they block the user’s access to their content.
This is what some in the community call as geo-restrictions or geo-blocking.
So it doesn’t really matter if you are desperate to watch the NBA season this year.
If you live outside the US but support Toronto Raptors, for example, then you can’t watch NBA online or live.
As soon as you try to access a stream, you will get blocked.
Go to the official website of ESPN right now and take a look at the error message that you get.
Most likely, the error message will tell you something about how you cannot access this content because you are outside the US.
If the administrator of the site is too kind then the message might just say that the streaming service does not offer content outside the US.
In either case, you cannot watch any content on streaming sites like NBA TV and/or ESPN if you are outside the US.
If you are like most people then you wouldn’t know the first thing to do when such a message comes up.
Try not to lose hope though.
If you change the way to approach a problem, you will usually get to the solution.
But the thing with streaming services is that if you try any other solution than the one which works, you get the same error message.
So instead of dwelling on your failure to watch the stream on sites like NBA TV and/or ESPN, what you need to do is to learn how to circumvent various geo-restrictions that streaming sites put on their content.
Let’s cut the chase now:
The one and only tool which will help you with streaming services is a VPN.
There is just nothing else that works as smoothly and reliably as a VPN service.
How to watch the 2021 NBA Summer League online and live using a VPN
Okay, so at this point, we have hopefully convinced you that users who do not live in the US cannot view channels such as ESPN and/or NBA TV no matter what.
The only way to access them is by either moving to the US (which is obviously not that people would want to do just to watch a sporting event or tournament) or use a VPN service.
But what is a VPN?
How does it help you get past those ugly geo-restrictions?
Well, we don’t want to give you a lecture on the inner workings of a VPN service here. We have guides for that on other pages on this very site.
For the purposes of this guide, you should know that the term VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and it is nothing but a security tool.
The sole purpose of this security tool is to help users to hide their identity in the online world and protect their data from various cyber threats.
Of course, a VPN service is able to do much more than that.
Modern VPN services are robust tools that can not only hide your data but also change your location.
And that is exactly why you need them at this moment.
With a VPN service, you can change your online whereabouts to wherever you want.
A VPN can make it look like you are accessing a given website or app from any country you like.
More specifically though, your new location will depend on the VPN server that you will connect to.
Let’s take the help of an example to help you understand better.
Let’s say you want to watch NBA Summer League 2021.
Well, you already know that the NBA Summer League is a tournament that happens in the US.
You also know that the two main channels that cover this tournament are ESPN and NBA TV.
Both of these streaming services are also based in the US.
So what you need to do here is to connect to a server that is located in the US.
When you do that with the help of your VPN service you actually obtain a new and virtual US IP address.
Effectively, you have managed to cloak yourself.
Consequently, you should have no problems in streaming content from streaming services such as,
- NBA Tv
- ESPN
- Hulu
- Netflix (the US version, which is the best in case you didn’t know that already)
Not only that, a VPN service will unblock many other US-restricted streaming services for you.
The best part about the whole situation is that you will never have to move a muscle in order to watch stuff that you always dreamt of watching.
Step by step guide on how to watch NBA Summer League 2021.
Let’s take a look at what we have mentioned so far with a bit more detail.
In order to watch NBA Summer League 2021, you need to follow the steps that we have mentioned below in order.
- First things first. You need to sign up for a good VPN service provider that works on the US.
While it is tempting for us to give you a single VPN service provider’s name here and be done with it, our research shows that the VPN industry has reached a stage where it is very difficult for anyone to recommend a single VPN service provider to all consumers.
There are just so many good VPN choices out there in the market today.
So instead of mentioning a big VPN giant like IPVanish, NordVPN or ExpressVPN, we would like you to click here and read out short guide on the best VPN service providers available in the market right now.
Our VPN services will not only work in the US but in many other countries around the world.
Some even work in China.
But in the end, our guide will provide you with a brief look on what the industry has to offer and which VPN service is the best for you rather than what is best for the VPN service. - The next step is to download the official VPN app of the VPN service provider that you have signed up for.
Make sure that you download the VPN app that is compatible with your device.
Most good VPN service providers now offer dedicated VPN apps for platforms and devices such as Amazon Fire Stick, macOS, PC, iOS and Android. - Once you have managed to install and activate the VPN application you need to run it and then sign in by using your VPN account which you should have created while paying for your VPN package.
- Then you need to do some navigation and search for the best server from the list of VPN servers.
Scroll down till you see the servers which are located in the US.
Of course, some VPN apps allow you to search for servers via a search bar on the main display.
Just type USA if you see a search bar in order to save time and find your server faster. - Once you have found a server in the US you need to connect to it.
Do take note that you may have to wait for a couple of moments before your VPN app is able to form a connection. - Now, it is always advisable that you double-check the new IP address that your VPN app has given you.
To do that you can go to a good number of sites such as www.ipleak.net.
Or you can just search Google with the text ‘what is my IP address.’
This seems to work for quite a lot of people. - When you are finished with the previous step you need to launch the official app for NBA TV and/or ESPN.
Or go to the official website of ESPN or NBA TV.
The actual streaming service that you will use will obviously depend on the match that you want to watch. - As a final step, you just need to enjoy your stream because now you know how to watch NBA Summer League 2021 no matter where you are located in the world.
Coming back to the part about which VPN service provider you should sign up for, let’s talk a little bit about that so you don’t end up purchasing a VPN package which you do not really need.
The point we want to talk about here is how should you check if a VPN service is good for you if you want to watch NBA summer league 2021 online and live?
Well, for starters, you need to sign up for a VPN service provider that has lots and lots of VPN servers.
The reason why we say that is if your VPN has a low number of servers then you will usually connect to overloaded servers.
Overloaded servers are slow.
Because of their slowness, they cause buffering.
You don’t want that while you are trying to stream your favorite match.
Moreover, you should also sign up for a VPN service that covers as much of the US as is possible.
This way you will have a high chance of watching other streaming services such as US Netflix along with ESPN and NBA TV.
Next, you need your VPN service to keep zero-logs.
With a zero-logs VPN service provider, you never have to worry about the VPN service storing or collecting your data.
Try to sign up for a VPN service provider that also provides users a 30-day money-back guarantee.
A 7-day money-back guarantee, though short, is also good enough.
This is essential if you do not want to part ways with a bit too much money just because you did not fall in love with your VPN on the first day.
Again, to not get confused and make the right decision, click here to read our guide on the best VPNs in the world right now.
We’re more than hopeful that you will find the right VPN for your needs.
Preview: NBA Summer League in 2021
Some of the more avid NBA Summer League fans would already know that the Trail Blazers trounced everyone to take the title home in 2019.
The actual tournament will begin sometime on July 1, 2021.
It will continue to show users the best NBA matches until July 15, 2021.
The final match will take place in Las Vegas.
More specifically at the University of Nevada at the real Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion.
With that out of the way, let’s talk a bit more about what this NBA Summer League 2021 edition has in store for all of us.
In other words, we are now going to talk NBA Summer League schedule and teams.
NBA Summer League Teams
If you look at the history of the NBA Summer League tournament you will see that it has had a lot of tournaments.
This time around, the NBA Summer League will offer teams from Croatia and China.
Because of these additions, the total number of teams will go up to around 32.
Here are the teams that are expected to perform for us this time around.
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Toronto Raptors
- San Antonio Spurs
- Sacramento Kings
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Phoenix Suns
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Orlando Magic
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- The New York Knicks
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Miami Heat
- Memphis Grizzlies
- LA Angeles Lakers
- LA Clippers
- Indiana Pacers
- Houston Rockets
- The Golden State Warriors
- Denver Nuggets
- Detroit Pistons
- Dallas Mavericks
- Croatia
- Charlotte Hornets
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- China
- Chicago Bulls
- Brooklyn Nets
- Boston Celtics
- Atlanta Hawks
NBA Summer League 2021 Schedule
In total, the 2021 edition of the NBA Summer League will offer us exactly 83 games.
They will all have to reach their finish point within the period that lies between July 1, 2021, to July 15, 2021.
The latest news coming from various sources confirms that a total of two venues will host all the NBA Summer League matches.
As mentioned before as well, NBA TV and ESPN will take on the responsibility of broadcasting the whole of the basketball championship.
Now, if you want to make sure that you know when your favorite team is playing then you need to read the NBA Summer League Schedule that we have mentioned below.
Along with that information we will also talk about where the matches will take place and which channel will show them.
July 5, 2020(Friday)
On Cox Pavilion
Orlando vs San Antonio on NBA TV
Charlotte vs Golden State on NBA TV
Dallas vs Brooklyn on NBA TV
Minnesota vs Cleveland on NBA TV
Detroit vs Croatia on NBA TV
Thomas & Mack
Phoenix vs Denver on ESPN
New York vs New Orleans on ESPN
Los Angeles Lakers vs Chicago on ESPN
Miami vs China on ESPN
Philadelphia vs Milwaukee on ESPN2
July 6, 2019 (Saturday)
Cox Pavilion
Sacramento vs China on NBA TV
Dallas vs Houston on NBA TV
Memphis vs Indiana on NBA TV
Atlanta vs Milwaukee on NBA TV
Oklahoma City vs Utah on NBA TV
Thomas & Mack
Toronto vs Golden State on ESPN
New Orleans vs Washintong on ESPN
LA Clippers vs Los Angeles Lakers on ESPNU
Boston vs Philadelphia on ESPN
Portland vs Detroit on ESPNU
July 7, 2019 (Sunday)
Cox Pavilion
Houston vs Portland on NBA TV
Utah vs Miami on NBA TV
Denver vs Orlando on NBA TV
Brooklyn vs Croatia on NBA TV
Thomas & Mack
Memphis vs LA Clippers on ESPN2
New York vs Phoenix on ESPN
Chicago vs Cleveland on ESPN
Minnesota vs Atlanta on ESPN2
San Antonio vs Charlotte on ESPN2
July 8, 2019 (Monday)
Cox Pavilion
China vs Charlotte on ESPNU
San Antonio vs Minnesota on ESPNU
Milwaukee vs Toronto on ESPNU
Indiana vs Detroit on ESPNU
Oklahoma City vs Philadelphia on ESPNU
Thomas & Mack
Golden State vs Los Angeles Lakers on NBA TV
New Orleans vs Chicago on NBA TV
Cleveland vs Boston on NBA TV
Washington vs Brooklyn on NBA TV
Sacramento vs Dallas on NBA TV
July 9, 2019 (Tuesday)
Cox Pavilion
Sacramento vs Houston on ESPN2
Denver vs Boston on ESPN2
Portland vs Utah on ESPN2
Miami vs Orlando on ESPN2
Thomas & Mack
LA Clippers vs Washington on NBA TV
New York vs Toronto on NBA TV
Phoenix vs Memphis on NBA TV
Indiana vs Atlanta on NBA TV
Croatia vs Oklahoma City on NBA TV
July 10, 2019 (Wednesday)
Cox Pavilion
China vs Milwaukee on NBA TV
San Antonio vs Phoenix on NBA TV
Minnesota vs Miami on NBA TV
Charlotte vs Chicago on NBA TV
Philadelphia vs Detroit on NBA TV
Thomas & Mack
Golden State vs Denver on ESPNU
Los Angeles Lakers vs New York on ESPN2
Cleveland vs New Orleans on ESPN2
Orlando vs Brooklyn on ESPNU
Croatia vs Dallas on ESPNU
July 11, 2019 (Thursday)
Cox Pavilion
Sacramento vs LA Clippers on NBA TV
Portland vs Oklahoma City on NBA TV
Toronto vs Indiana on NBA TV
Thomas & Mack
Boston vs Memphis on ESPN2
Utah vs Houston on ESPNU
Atlanta vs Washington on ESPN2
July 12, 2019 (Friday) Consolation
Cox Pavilion on NBA TV
Thomas & Mack on ESPNU
July 13, 2019 (Saturday) Quarterfinals and consolation
Thomas & Mac on ESPN
Cox Pavilion on NBA TV
July 14, 2019 (Sunday) Semifinals
Thomas & Mack on ESPN2
July 15, 2019 (Monday) Championship
Thomas & Mack on ESPN2
There you go.
These are pretty much all the matches you need to know about.