Attention basketball fanatics: The 2018-19 NBA season kicks off on October 16! Fans in Australia will be able to catch the action live in a variety of ways. We break down the best NBA streaming options - from 100% official, to the dubious-yet-free.

LeBron James has put an entire team of spineless pea-hearts on his ever-burdened back to drag the Cleveland Cavaliers to this year's NBA Finals where the universe-controlling Golden State Warriors and their Monstars-like starting line-up wait. The first ball is tossed in the air for the NBA Finals 2017-18 on Friday morning, Australian time - and here's just how you can watch live, online and even for free!

After 1230 games, sixteen of the NBA's best teams remain, chasing rings and the chance to hold up the Larry O'Brien trophy. The NBA Playoffs kick off this Sunday morning, Australian time and it's probably going to be one of the most evenly contested playoffs series we've seen for some time. Take that for data.

The basketball courts in Pyongyang look like basketball courts in Australia or Europe or the USA. At both ends there is a ring with a net and a backboard. The rectangle court is marked down the centre and two arches rise from its baselines - the three point arc.

But in North Korea, the so called Hermit Kingdom, basketball has an entirely unique set of rules, where extra points are handed out for slam dunks and for swishes.