Pelicans vs Lakers: How to watch NBA play in game in the UK, TV details, what channel, streaming options

It’s New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Lakers in the race for the NBA playoffs this week. Here’s all the details ahead of the game - including how to watch in the UK.

Can LeBron James super charge an unlikely Lakers run at the NBA playoffs this year? Cr. Getty Images

An NBA playoff without LeBron James? It feels almost unthinkable. However, as the Los Angeles Lakers visit the New Orleans Pelicans in the cut-throat NBA play in, it is certainly possible.

With the regular season now over, the NBA moves into its much anticipated playoff campaign, though firstly a play in must be contested in order to decide which two Western Conference teams will qualify for the 2024 NBA playoff campaign as seventh and eight seed.

The ever popular Lakers team have endured another challenging campaign by their standards but did enough to push themselves into the play in by winning three of their final five games to finish eighth. NBA Championship winners in 2020, they currently have long odds of 33/1 to repeat the trick after ending the campaign with an average 47-35 record.

Lakers fans can enter the game in a positive mood though after seeing LeBron, Anthony Davis and Austin Reeves hit 78 points between them on the final day of the regular season as they - ironically - smashed the Pelicans 124-108 on Sunday.

And that means the Lakers’ passionate worldwide fanbase are certain to tune into this week’s huge play in clash hoping that LeBron can repeat the trick and prove to be their MVP once again as they drag themselves into the playoffs at the expense of the Pelicans.

Want to make sure you catch every minute of Pelicans vs Lakers? Here’s all the ways you can watch the NBA in the UK.

When is Pelicans vs Lakers, when does the NBA play in begin

Where: Pelicans vs Lakers, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, Wednesday 17 April 2024, Tip-off: 12.30am BST.

How does the NBA play in work

The play-in tournament offers lower-seeded teams one more shot at partaking in the NBA playoffs.

The tournament begins with the seventh-placed team in each conference playing the eighth-placed team while the ninth-placed team plays the 10th-placed team. Just one game is played and the winner of the game will go on the take part in the playoffs later this month as the seventh seed.

The loser will then face the winner of the game between Sacramento Kings (ninth) vs Golden States Warriors (10th) in the other Western Conference play in for the battle to enter the playoffs as eighth seed.

With the Pelicans finishing seventh and the Lakers eighth it will be the New Orleans outfit who have home advantage.

Pelicans vs Lakers - how to watch in the UK, what channels, streaming options for NBA in UK

TNT Sports

The game will be streamed live on TNT Sports channel 1 for those who have a subscription to the channel with coverage beginning at 12.30am on Wednesday 17 April.

TNT is available for subscription via BT Broadband, Sky and NOW TV packages at various different costs.

NBA League pass

The most cost efficient way to watch the NBA in the UK - including Pelicans vs Lakers - is to purchase the NBA League Pass. With a League Pass, you can stream every live game in the NBA, or watch games on catch up. This includes the play in series and the playoffs themselves.

With an ability to stream up to four games at once, the NBA pass starts at £49.99 for the season. However, they are currently offering a 7-day free trial. Sign up here.