Overview
- Tipoff is 7:30 p.m. ET at Paycom Center on NBC with streaming on Peacock and Fubo, and BetMGM lists Oklahoma City around -7.5.
- The Thunder will hold a pregame ring ceremony and raise their first championship banner before starting their title defense.
- Kevin Durant is set for his Rockets debut against his former team, with Houston deploying an extra-tall starting group featuring Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams.
- Oklahoma City will be without All-Star Jalen Williams following right wrist surgery plus reserve shooter Isaiah Joe due to a knee injury, with Williams not expected to be out long.
- Houston enters short-handed after Fred VanVleet’s offseason knee injury, which could sideline the veteran guard for the entire season.