The Oklahoma City Thunder battled the Houston Rockets to tip-off the NBA season. In the League’s first game on the year and their return to NBC as the NBA’s new broadcast partner, it was a historic day in Bricktown.
Oklahoma City lifted it’s first NBA Championship banner to the rafters and dished out their title rings to members of the 2025-26 team. It was one final celebration of the 2025 NBA Champions before turning the page to 2025-26. A year in which the Bricktown Ballers hope to make even more history. The past six NBA champions have failed to make it out of the second round of the postseason while the league hasn’t seen a repeat winner since the 2018 Golden State Warriors.
This is a never before seen parity era in the NBA with another concerning trend for the Thunder. Ring night has not been kind to past champions and Oklahoma City’s foe is a formidable one with the Houston Rockets in down as one of the biggest contenders in the Western Conference around acquiring Kevin Durant this summer.
With Jalen Williams in street clothes for this contest, it was going to be an exciting game on the hardwood once the ceremonies wrapped up. It lived up to the billing once the ball was tipped. With Thunder legends Serge Ibaka, Carmelo Anthony, PJ Carlesimo, Jeff Green, Steven Adams and Kevin Durant either looking on or playing in tonight’s contest it captivated a national audience. It also led to some strong reactions on social media.
These are two of the league’s best defenses and they made life hard on the respective offenses. For stretches of this game it was like pulling teeth to get the ball in the net. No side could breathe or find open looks on the offensive end. Misssed shots, turnover and deflictions were plentiful.
Chet Holmgren started this game strong with 13 quick points showing off step back triples, mid-range jumpers and an impressive downhill attack that landed him at the free throw line three times before intermission.
At halftime, after a four-point play at the buzzer by Thunder second year guard Ajay Mitchell it was just a six point game in favor of the Houston Rockets, 57-51. To start the second half, the Oklahoma City Thunder pivoted away from the double-big lineup to start Alex Caruso in place of Isaiah Hartenstein. Caruso was flanked by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, and Chet Holmgren.
The Rockets lead swelled to 12 start the second half with Mark Daigneault needing an early timeout. By the six minute mark in the frame, the Thunder trimmed the Rockets lead back down to six before tying the contest at 73 with two minutes to go in the third frame. That didn’t last long as Houston was able to get OKC at arm’s length yet again.
With OKC Down in the final frame, the Houston Rockets kept themselves out of harms way. The Thunder scrapped and clawed to trim the lead but Sengun and company answered the call. In typical Thunder fashion, the team got within two points at the three minute mark of this frame to set up an exciting finish.
It was a playoff atmosphere inside the Paycom Center, a postseason level of play in the opener on the court. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit a mid-range jumper to give OKC a 102-101 lead inside the Paycom Center. The crowd erupted as Gilgeous-Alexander shut down an Amen Thompson mid-range to try to answer back.
After Kevin Durant split his free throws, it was just a two point game letting Gilgeous-Alexander’s mid-range jumper tie the contest with two seconds remaining in regulation. Out of the Rockets timeout, a missed Sengun mid-range jumper sent this game into overtime.
Durant attempted to call a timeout at the end of the first overtime without the Rockets having one in their back pocket but the refs let it slide and the second over time was underway. It was a back and forth five minutes headlined by a Sengun go ahead bucket in the lane with 11 seconds remaining which was erased by a 2-for-2 trip to the free throw line by Gilgeous-Alexadner to regain this lead for OKC.
As just 2.3 seconds remained on the clock, the Rockets were down one without Kevin Durant who fouled out on the previous possession. A Jabari Smith Jr. turn around jumper was too long and the Thunder survived the Rockets in double overtime, 125-124.
Chet been in that damn lab!!!! I see you big fella
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) October 21, 2025
11 Points from Chet in half a quarter. He looks UNBELIEVABLE
— All Things Thunder (@all_things_OKC) October 21, 2025
Chet Holmgren is cooking. He’s putting the ball on the floor, and the mid-range shot is dropping.
Holmgren has 11 points of OKC’s first 13 points on 5 for 5 shooting.
— Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) October 21, 2025
pic.twitter.com/fj5WuvZaqu See Chet do to KD what KD does to everyone is crazy I can’t lie.
— Don (@DTOWN_1590) October 21, 2025
— THE UNCONTESTED PODCAST (@The_Uncontested) October 21, 2025
The Rockets are 5/5 in the restricted area so far
They are big.
— Andrew Schlecht (@AndrewKSchlecht) October 21, 2025
Amen Thompson is a super human level athlete.
He’s up to 10 points already as Mark Daigneault calls for a timeout.
OKC trails 17-21
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) October 21, 2025
GOOD LORD Lu Dort just put Reed Sheppard in tornado alley with that spin move.
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) October 22, 2025
Alex Caruso checks in to defend Alperen Sengun.
The Jokic blueprint.
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) October 22, 2025
Look at the Houston Rockets working on defense. pic.twitter.com/H68ayz2lkv
— Steve Jones (@stevejones20) October 22, 2025
Ugly half from 3 for the Thunder
— The Daniel Bell© (@BasketballGuruD) October 22, 2025
FUTURE STAR AJAY MITCHELL FOUR POINT PLAY pic.twitter.com/plXqt0re48
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) October 22, 2025
Ajay Mitchell would be playing 25 minutes a night for almost every other team in the league.
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) October 22, 2025
Only positive plus-minus off the bench: +4. https://t.co/OMxrz3SnvT
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) October 22, 2025
KD has helped Houston in this game in a big way offensively without taking away from their defensive identity. OKC hasn’t gotten clean looks all game. Such a good addition for them. Such a fun matchup between these two.
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) October 22, 2025
This has been a well-coached game by Ime deploying the Rockets’ size the entire half, and I trust him that even if OKC went smaller, he wouldn’t, so it doesn’t allow a lineup like Chet at the 5 to be a possibility, esp. with Jalen Williams out.
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) October 22, 2025
Serge, Melo and Adams with a standing ovation at tonight’s game. KD with an outpour of boos.
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) October 22, 2025
Knowing he’s getting doubled every chance they get Shai has to be more aggressive off ball to recieve the ball / create advantages offensively
— 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹 (@AlexDrProf) October 22, 2025
Somehow OKC is only down 6 at half. Without Dub, Houston is doubling Shai and running a zone (and Amen is doing a great job moving his feet and using his length) essentially daring “the others” on OKC to beat them, and so far OKC is 5-20 from 3pt. Gotta get stops and run.
— Sam Humphreys (@SamHumphreys34) October 22, 2025
It’d be REALLY nice to have Dub to break down this defense and Joe as an outside shooter
Get well soon
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) October 22, 2025
Granted OKC’s pressure makes fools out of everyone, but nothing about this ball handling / playmaking from HOU is remotely sustainable .
— Justin W (@LAClippersFilm) October 22, 2025
When OKC can force turnovers or push pace, their offense is fine. In the halfcourt, you can see how important Jalen Williams is for them. They just don’t have that extra creator with Williams sidelined.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 22, 2025
Rockets were winning the possession battle in the 1st half, but that flipped to OKC’s favour in the 3rd. Game is basically being determined by who wins boards + turnovers.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) October 22, 2025
Brooks regular season debut got us like pic.twitter.com/8dVZQZQ191
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) October 22, 2025
Cason Wallace in transition is a dangerous thing
— Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) October 22, 2025
Cason oh my… pic.twitter.com/StGPdjb45R
— 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹 (@AlexDrProf) October 22, 2025
OHMYGODAARONWIGGINS ?? https://t.co/LDrgHBEHJI
— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) October 22, 2025
Aaron Wiggins just climbed the ladder!
— Nick Gallo (@NickAGallo) October 22, 2025
WIGGINSANE
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) October 22, 2025
Where were you the night Sengun was invited to the 3 point contest?
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) October 22, 2025
In a game with SGA and KD, Sengun looks like the best player on the court tonight. Taking over here. Rockets have a 90-85 lead with 6:49 left in the 4Q
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) October 22, 2025
Welcome back @NBA. Missed watching SGA operate inside the arc.
— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) October 22, 2025
What a game
— Pranav Sriraman (@PranavSriraman) October 22, 2025
We have ourselves a 2 point game on Opening Night.
OKC 95
Houston 97
3:07 to go.
Great return game for the first NBA on NBC matchup in 23 years.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) October 22, 2025
Regardless of the outcome of this game, the Rockets are GOOD, and OKC being in this game late without Jalen Williams is incredibly impressive.
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) October 22, 2025
This would be such a fun playoff matchup
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) October 22, 2025
Sure feels like a Game 7 playoff game.😵💫
— Steve McGehee (@SteveMcGehee) October 22, 2025
Cason Wallace tied a career high with 5 steals tonight
— Paris Lawson (@ParisNLawson) October 22, 2025
Overtime in the first game back, welcome back peopleeeeee
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) October 22, 2025
what a sport
— subscribe to the state of the league patreon (@JoestarJokic) October 22, 2025
Chet Holmgren. Onions. What a 3.
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) October 22, 2025
“Game of the Year” candidate and it’s only Day 1
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) October 22, 2025
KD takes a shot and his next make is that lol
— Adam Auslund (@followAdamA) October 22, 2025
KD still doing it at a high level. Love to see it
— Stephen Gillaspie (@StephenGHoops) October 22, 2025
Cason Wallace and Lu Dort nuked that Rockets offensive possession.
— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) October 22, 2025
Western Conference Finals preview
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) October 22, 2025
Gonna be watching this on Hardwood Classics in 20 years
— NBA University (@NBA_University) October 22, 2025
The Oklahoma City Thunder continue their season on Thursday, Oct. 23 in an NBA Finals rematch against the Indiana Pacers in downtown Indianapolis as part of a three-game week which ends on Saturday, Oct. 25 against the Atlanta Hawks.
