Rockets, Thunder Clash in Opening-Night Showdown: The Lore of the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder Season Opener

by Brylea Smith | 10/16/25

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is back in action, with opening day set for Oct. 21. The reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC), will receive their championship rings before tipoff. One special person will be in the audience, former OKC star Kevin Durant, on his new team, the Houston Rockets. 

Durant was selected No. 2 overall by the Seattle Supersonics in the 2007 NBA draft. The franchise would move to Oklahoma City the following year. In his final season with the Thunder, Durant took the team to the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors. OKC ultimately blew a 3-1 series lead and lost in seven games.

July 4, 2016, was a day that changed Oklahoma City. Durant announced in a letter through The Players’ Tribune that he was joining the Golden State Warriors, just two months after the organization's loss to the same team. The reaction from fans was overwhelmingly negative, with many burning his jersey, as shown on ESPN. The move shook the league, as reflected in the public’s reaction.

The move paid off, with the Warriors winning back-to-back NBA Championships in 2017 and 2018. Durant earned Finals Most Valuable Player titles both years. While the Thunder brought him his NBA MVP, the Warriors gave him the chance to experience what it felt like to be the best team in the league. Looking back, Durant’s move can be seen as a professional decision to seek a new environment that offered a better chance at success.

While Durant’s journey took him elsewhere, Oklahoma City had to rebuild. Nearly a decade later, the Thunder won their first NBA title in 2025 since moving to Oklahoma City, after topping the Indiana Pacers 4-3. The Thunder were led by guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who joined Oklahoma City in 2019 as part of the trade that sent Paul George to the Clippers. Since then, he has become the franchise’s cornerstone, joining an elite group with Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal after earning league MVP, the scoring title and Finals MVP in the same season, according to the NBA. 

This was the Thunder's first trip to the NBA Finals since 2012. The former OKC Big Three of Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden led them to the top. The team’s momentum started to fade, with standout Harden being traded to the Rockets in October that same year. That was just the start of the intertwined history between the two teams. Westbrook and Durant eventually all played for the Rockets at some point in their careers. Other notable players who have donned both jerseys include Steven Adams, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Led by a new Big Three of Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, the Thunder’s dominance doesn’t appear to be slowing down. The team’s depth fueled last season’s success, leading the Thunder to make only one trade this offseason. The move created roster space for their two draft picks, No. 18 overall Thomas Sorber and No. 44 overall Brooks Barnhizer, signaling the organization’s focus on developing young talent alongside its veteran core. The Thunder continues its franchise record of wins in the regular season, with a franchise-record 68 wins. 

Durant made headlines again in July when he joined the Houston Rockets in a historic seven-team trade. This trade brought Durant back to the state of Texas, where he played for the University of Texas for the 2006-07 season before getting drafted. As a freshman, Durant swept nearly every major national award. He became the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Consensus National Player of the Year, according to the University of Texas at Austin Athletics. His honors also included the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy and the Adolph Rupp Trophy.

A month later, the NBA announced the opening-night games across the league. Fans quickly realized that Durant was opening the season on his new team against a franchise he helped shape. It’s a full-circle, bittersweet moment for fans: the former face of the program to be in the room while the new generation gets recognized for their historic season. Durant acknowledged the storyline on X, poking fun at fans who were amping up the drama and rivalry online. 

Both Gilgeous-Alexander and Durant have had milestone careers so far, with each earning league MVP and finals MVP their championship seasons. Opening night promises to be a tough competition as two star players from different Thunder eras clash. At the end of last year's season, the Thunder and the Rockets sat at one and two in the Western Conference, respectively. The Thunder’s veteran core and the Rockets’ addition of Kevin Durant make this one of the most anticipated matchups of the NBA season.

Can the Rockets overcome the roaring atmosphere of Paycom Center after the Thunder’s championship celebration? Or will Oklahoma City fall to the man who helped build its legacy?

Disclaimer: The views, analysis, and opinions expressed in this op-ed are of the writer. All information is for commentary and informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, professional, or investment advice. References to third-party sources and public figures are made for illustrative purposes and do not imply endorsement or verification by HAZZE MEDIA.