Lakers vs. Thunder Game 2 Livestream: How to Watch Tonight’s NBA Playoff Games

This week kicked off the second round of the NBA Playoff Conference Semifinals, and tonight’s doubleheader features two exciting Game 2s. First up, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be looking to make a comeback against the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons, following Detroit’s energetic victory on Tuesday (111-101).

Then, we’ll see if the LA Lakers can claw their way back against No. 1 Seed, Oklahoma City. The Thunder have dominated all season long, securing another win in Tuesday’s game against Los Angeles (108-90).

Keeping track of where each NBA Playoff game is streaming has been dizzying, to say the least. Here’s how to tune in to tonight’s games, plus a full breakdown of the remaining games this season, so you don’t miss a second of the live action.

What Time Is the Cavaliers vs. Pistons Game 2?

The Oklahoma City Cavaliers face off against the Detroit Pistons tonight, Thursday, May 7, at 7 p.m. ET. The Pistons will host the game at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. If Detroit wins again tonight, they’ll only need two more wins to head into the Eastern Conference Finals later this month.

What Time Is the Thunder vs. Lakers Game 2?

The Lakers and Thunder will tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET tonight, Thursday, May 7, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. If the Thunder can roll past the Lakers like they did in Game 1, they’ll just be two games shy of securing their spot in the Western Conference Finals.

How to Watch Tonight’s Cavaliers vs. Pistons and Thunder vs. Lakers Games

You can catch both of tonight’s games (the Cavaliers vs. Pistons and the Thunder vs. the Lakers) live on Prime Video. You can purchase an Amazon Prime Video subscription starting at just $8.99 per month or watch at no cost for 30 days with a free trial.

2026 NBA Playoffs: Schedule and Where to Watch

(Credit: NBA)

Starting this year, the NBA has split playoff games between ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon. According to the agreement, ESPN/ABC will broadcast 18 games in the first two rounds, one conference finals in 10 of the 11 years, and the NBA Finals. NBC/Peacock will broadcast 28 playoff games in the first two rounds and one conference final in six of the 11 years. Previously, the Play-In Tournament aired on ESPN and TNT, but all six games are exclusively broadcast on Prime Video for the next 11 seasons. Amazon will also carry approximately one-third of the first two playoff rounds, as well as one of the conference finals in six of the 11 years.

2026 NBA Conference Semifinals Game Schedule and How to Watch:

• (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Game 2: Thursday, May 7 (7 ET, Prime Video)

  • Game 3: Saturday, May 9 (3 ET, NBC/Peacock)

  • Game 4: Monday, May 11 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)

  • Game 5: Wednesday, May 13*

  • Game 6: Friday, May 15*

  • Game 7: Sunday, May 17*

• (2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers

  • Game 3: New York at Philadelphia | Friday, May 8 (7 ET, Prime Video)

  • Game 4: New York at Philadelphia | Sunday, May 10 (3:30 ET, ABC)

  • Game 5: Philadelphia at New York | Tuesday, May 12*

  • Game 6: New York at Philadelphia | Thursday, May 14*

  • Game 7: Philadelphia at New York | Sunday, May 17*

• (1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Los Angeles Lakers

  • Game 2: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Thursday, May 7 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)

  • Game 3: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Saturday, May 9 (8:30 ET, ABC)

  • Game 4: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Monday, May 11 (10:30 ET, Prime Video)

  • Game 5: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Wednesday, May 13*

  • Game 6: Oklahoma City at Los Angeles | Saturday, May 16*

  • Game 7: Los Angeles at Oklahoma City | Monday, May 18*

• (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Game 3: San Antonio at Minnesota | Friday, May 8 (9:30 ET, Prime Video)

  • Game 4: San Antonio at Minnesota | Sunday, May 10 (7:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)

  • Game 5: Minnesota at San Antonio | Tuesday, May 12*

  • Game 6: San Antonio at Minnesota | Friday, May 15*

  • Game 7: Minnesota at San Antonio | Sunday, May 17*

*If needed.

2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game Schedule:

2026 NBA Western Conference Finals Game Schedule:

2026 NBA Finals Game Schedule:

How to Stream the 2026 NBA Playoffs

If you want to watch every game of the NBA Playoffs without worrying about which network is broadcasting each game, there are streaming options that let you watch everything. Unfortunately, since the games are spread across three companies—Disney, Comcast, and Amazon—you’ll likely need to do some searching to find the best package that covers as many games as possible.

• Amazon Prime Video: If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you already have access to the games broadcast by Amazon. Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139 annually. For an extra $4.99 per month, the Ultra plan will also give you 4K streaming.

• DirecTV: The $89.99 Entertainment package gives you access to ABC, NBC, and ESPN.

• ESPN Select: Stream live sports and archived ESPN shows starting at $12.99 per month.

• Fubo: Fubo carries ABC and ESPN, which you can get via the Sports plan for $55.99 per month. There is also a quarterly priced option.

• Hulu + Live TV: The ad-supported, $89.99-per-month live TV package lets you stream ABC and ESPN.

• Peacock: For $10.99 per month, Peacock Premium will grant you access to all playoff games broadcast on NBC and the streaming app.

• Sling: Sling’s Orange & Blue bundle includes ABC, NBC, and ESPN for $60.99 per month. There are less expensive packages available if you only need some of these channels.

• YouTube TV: The streamer’s Sports Plan includes ABC, NBC, and ESPN for $64.99 per month

As a reminder, you’ll want to enable your TV’s motion-smoothing option for the best picture while watching the NBA Playoffs and other televised sporting events. Equally as important, remember to turn it off when you’re done, so your TV shows and movies don’t have that dreaded “soap opera effect.”

Can You Watch the NBA Playoffs With a VPN?

If you’re watching outside the US and games are unavailable in your country, try a VPN. Set the region to a US location to access local streaming content. You may also be able to unlock content available from other regions, even if you’re in the US. For instance, Amazon has the rights to broadcast playoff games (including the Finals) in Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Ireland. If you don’t have ESPN or ABC, but do have Prime, you might be able to use a VPN here. The same can be said for Disney+ if you access it from certain Asian and European markets.

Not all VPN services work well with all streaming services, but the best VPNs for sports streaming will deliver high speeds without data limits. Great options include Editors’ Choice winners NordVPN and Proton VPN. Check out our recommended VPNs for iPhones and Android devices if you’re watching on the go.

For more on how to watch basketball, check out our roundup of the best NBA streaming services.

About Our Expert

Jason Cohen

Senior Editor, Help & How To

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Experience

As PCMag’s editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.

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My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I also have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it’s already becoming a little long in the tooth.

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