How Rockets All-Star Kevin Durant took a shot at the champion Thunder ahead of Opening Night at the Paycom Center.

The NBA returns to NBC on October 21 with a Houston-focused opening night: the defending champion Thunder host the Rockets, featuring former stars Durant and Green. Later, Warriors face Lakers in a classic showdown.

When the NBA champion receives their ring, a familiar face will be in attendance. The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Houston Rockets for the 2025-26 Opening Night on Oct. 21, per ESPN's Shams Charania. It will also mark the first game of the NBC broadcast era.

The impending Rockets’ season is one of the more anticipated in some time, with the team officially entering contender status this offseason. The front office,

Rockets star Alperen Sengun revealed what it was like seeing Jalen Green traded in the blockbuster Kevin Durant deal.

It is a constant barrage of a specific type of social media energy, many may find off-putting, designed to keep addled attention spans engaged with constant eccentricity. The response to the hype video has ranged from "What in the world am I watching?" to "Whatever this is needs to be stopped immediately."

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder will forever be intertwined. After all, the Rockets' second-best player in franchise history arrived via trade with the Thunder in James Harden.

Excitement is high for the Houston Rockets' upcoming season after acquiring NBA megastar Kevin Durant. The NBA schedule release already shows national interest in watching the Rockets take off with their new star.