The 2025-’26 NBA season opens with a bang Tuesday night with the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder battling the Houston Rockets in OKC. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) with TV coverage on NBC and streaming on-demand.
How to watch Thunder vs. Rockets on TV and stream without cable:
- When: Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT)
- Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
- TV channel: NBC and Peacock
- Streaming on: FuboTV (free trial) | DirecTV (free trial) | SlingTV (50% off first month) | Peacock ($10.99+/mo.)
Thunder vs. Rockets: The matchup
The Thunder open their title defense on their home floor against a Rockets team that finished second in the Western Conference and lost in seven games to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Houston also made a big splash in the offseason by trading for star Kevin Durant and signing him to a $90-million extension, all with hopes of closing the gap on the NBA’s best team. The Rockets finished with a 52-30 record last season and were 16 full games back of the Thunder (68-14) in the regular season race.
- See also: NBA streaming coverage on PennLive
While the Thunder had little room to push forward in trades or acquisitions, they did secure their future by signing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a record 4-year, $285-million deal, and locked up young cornerstones Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams to extensions. OKC had to survive a seven-game test from the Denver Nuggets on their way to the NBA Finals, then defeated the Indiana Pacers in seven games to win the franchise’s first title.
Thunder vs. Rockets: Know your live streams
FuboTV (free trial) – FuboTV scores high marks for viewer experience with a huge library of live sports; the monthly rate after trial starts at $54.99 with a $30 off promotion. ESPN Unlimited included free in the base plan. NFL Red Zone available on SportsPlus ($74.99 first month with promotion).
DirecTV (free trial) – First month after the 5-day free trial starts as low as $49.99 with current $35 off promotion. ESPN Unlimited and NFL Red Zone included with add-on packages and sports plans. Genre Packs and other lower-priced alternatives are available, some of which come with free gift cards.
SlingTV (low intro rate) – Sling’s half-price offer is perfect for those in the market for 1+ month of TV;.monthly plans start at just $29.99 with the introductory rate. A comparison of plans, including daily and weekly passes, can be found here.
Peacock ($10.99+/mo.) – Peacock’s library of live sports is growing and features exclusive NFL and college football games, all in addition to NBC Universal movies, television series, and more.
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