El 4: NBA Finals: Where to Watch and Follow Online

LeBron versus Duncan. Wade versus Parker. Bonner versus Birdman. The 2013 NBA Finals, pitting the Miami Heat against the San Antonio Spurs, promise to be a major treat for basketball fans the world over.

But you say you want to watch and follow the action online, oh digitally-savvy sports fan? Here's how.

Stateside, there's only one (legal) way to watch the actual games live via the web, and you'll need some cable login credentials to do so. ESPN is carrying the finals for TV broadcast, meaning you can take advantage of its online ESPN3 option if you're away from a TV. Simply visit the site, provide your cable subscriber details and you'll be good to go.

The NBA has a number of digital initiatives planned as well. Its Finals Pulse feature lets you see which players are trending online, while its Social Spotlight feature aggregates tweets and other social posts from media, players and fans. Post-game news conferences will also be live streamed on NBA.com and via the NBA Game Time mobile app. And an NBA.com Finals Hub will serve up statistical updates, highlights and other content.

There is also, of course, a whole wide basketball Internet out there beyond just ESPN's live streamed games and the NBA's digital offerings. Twitter is the best place to go for in-game insight, snark and comedy. Wondering who to follow? Check out our 2012-2013 list of must-follow accounts for NBA fans below, then add your own favorites to follow in the comments.

1. @NBA

The NBA is arguably the world's most engaging sports league on social media. Follow its official Twitter account for news, highlights and promotions.

2. @WojYahooNBA

Adrian Wojnarowski runs the NBA reporting game. The Yahoo Sports writer is equally adept at breaking big news and writing insightful columns. Follow him for links to content as well as 140-character bursts of analysis.

3. @DaTrillStak5

From his handle, to his never-ceasing promotion of his rap career, to his stated location — "Wherever its Trill" — San Antonio Spurs swingman Stephen Jackson is easily the trillest NBA follow on Twitter.

4. @DraftExpress

This NBA season looks to be epic, but who are the game's next stars? When it comes to scouting future pros, no one matches DraftExpress. Follow for links, as well as quick updates and insights from NBA feeder leagues around the world.

6. @SLAMonline

Going back to its early days as "the in-your-face basketball magazine," SLAM has been a fun counterpoint to mainstream sports media since the mid-1990s. Follow for news roundups, highlights and a window into the fan conversation.

7. @langwhitaker

Whitaker writes and talks NBA for SLAM, GQ, NBATV and other outlets. He's a fun follow for casual hoops talk and smart insight into the pro basketball world.

9. @HowardBeckNYT

The New York Times' ace NBA reporter will also be covering the Nets during the team's inaugural season in Brooklyn. If you're interested in how Brooklyn takes to its new home team, Beck is a must-follow now more than ever.

13. @dmorey

Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is one of the league's most web-savvy executives, as evidenced by a Reddit AMA he held recently. He's candid and surprisingly willing to discuss his job and the NBA in general on social media — giving fans a unique perspective not found elsewhere.

14. @SI_ChrisBallard

Ballard covers the NBA and writes longform features for Sports Illustrated. One of the best reasons to follow him is the bevy of factoids and outtakes he'll share via Twitter after a feature comes out in SI.

15. @KDTrey5

The NBA's most advanced offensive weapon, Kevin Durant is honest and (usually) active on Twitter. This tweet, his unfiltered reaction to the Oklahoma City Thunder's recent trade of James Harden, gained more than 24,000 retweets.

16. @ZachLowe_NBA

Lowe recently moved from SI.com to the ESPN website Grantland.com. He's a rare breed in NBA media circles, able to combine advanced statistics with compelling copy for must-read articles.

17. @KingJames

For one of the world's most recognizable celebrities, Miami Heat superstar LeBron James is surprisingly active and personable on Twitter.

18. @sportsguy33

ESPN columnist Bill Simmons tracks the NBA obsessively. His humor and insight are followed religiously by more than 1.8 million fans on Twitter.

19. @stackmack

NBA writer Holly MacKenzie tweets funny one-liners, pens terrific longer pieces and provides a rare bit of variety in the male-dominated (to say the least) world of basketball coverage.

20. @StephenCurry30

Warriors guard Stephen Curry is extremely popular on Twitter, and it's easy to see why — few NBA players are as engaging or appreciative of their fans.

21. @TrueHoop

The ESPN blog TrueHoop is a one-stop shop for all things NBA and constantly shares items of interest on Twitter. Particularly worthwhile are its link roundups from across the web.

22. @SteveNash

Steve Nash has long been one of the league's most accessible superstars on social media. Follow his journey 140 characters at a time as he settles into a new role with the Los Angeles Lakers and looks to win his first championship.

23. @mcuban

Few pro sports owners are as compelling to follow on Twitter as Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks. He'll talk both basketball and business, so he's likely of particular interest to Mashable readers.

24. @TasMelas

NBA blogger and podcaster Tas Melas is a funny fellow who tweets frequently.

25. @WindhorstESPN

Brian Windhorst has covered LeBron James for different outlets since the NBA's best player was a budding high school phenom. He now covers the Miami Heat and NBA at large for ESPN, and is one of the better reporters involved in the game.

26. @jadande

ESPN web writer and TV personality Adande is a great follow to keep up with the NBA conversation.

27. @kevinlove

Kevin Love has been on top of Twitter as long as any pro athlete. He uses Twitter to crack funny jokes and share news, as he did here to thank fans for their well wishes after sustaining a hand injury that will keep him out for the first couple months of the season.

28. @sam_amick

Amick just left SI.com to cover the NBA for USA Today, where he's sure to keep up his quality stream of NBA news and analysis.

29. @treykerby

Another funny blogger to follow, Kerby's writing pops up around the web and he makes adept use of the quick-hitting Twitter format.

30. @mcten

Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLA.com. He'll be a fascinating follow as the Lakers try to successfully blend a collection of superstars and dethrone the mighty Miami Heat next spring.

Photo courtesy of Keith Allison