Knicks’ 2025 season begins vs. Cavaliers – Here’s how to watch for free

Last year, the Cavs dominated the regular season. But the Knicks dominate the Garden.

The NBA is finally back, and with it, the first game of the Knicks season. The lights go on tonight at MSG as the New York Knicks open their 2025 campaign against the Cleveland Cavaliers. All eyes are on the Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference Finals (and then sputtered out against the Pacers) for the first time in 25 years. Do Jalen Brunson, KAT, and co. have another season of magic in them?

Meanwhile, the Cavs absolutely dominated the East clinching the #1 seed and hitting a franchise‑record start, only to fall to Boston in the first round.

It all happens tonight: the Knicks want to prove they’re no longer the spoiler, the Cavs want to affirm they are the standard. Opening night just got real, and you’ve got front row seats. We’ve got all in the info on how to watch below:

Cavaliers vs. Knicks: what to know

When: Wednesday, October 22 @ 7:00 PM EST
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York
Channel: ESPN
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

Cavs vs. Knicks start time:

This season’s first matchup between the Cavs and Knicks starts tonight at 7:00 PM, EST.

How to watch Cavs vs. Knicks for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.