OKC Thunder Shuffle Starting Lineup vs. Houston Rockets

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Houston Rockets on Thursday night during a primetime matchup that sees the Thunder riding the high of a four game winning streak including finally getting over the hump to beat the San Antonio Spurs at home on Tuesday night. Now sitting at 8-2 in their last ten games, the Thunder have the same record at the halfway point, 34-7 that tehy did a year ago at this time before rattling off 68 wins en route to a championship during the 2024-25 campaign.

Oklahoma City has to rally now on the road against a Houston Rockets team that is in dire need of a statement win and looking to avenge their season opening double overtime loss to the Bricktown Ballers back in October.

Each side is dealing with injuries as Houston lists Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith out for the contest as well as Fred VanVleet who is out for the entire season. While the OKC Thunder are going into this game without starting center Isaiah Hartenstein who is still dealing with a right soleus strain as well as rookies Thomas Sorber and Nikola Topic.

Defensive ace Lu Dort missed Tuesday's tilt with the Spurs and entered this contest in Houston questionable with foot soreness but an hour before tip-off, the Bricktown Ballers upgraded Dort to available for this game against the No. 7 seeded Houston Rockets qho sit at 23-14.

With Dort sidelined on Tuesday, this forced Mark Daigneault to change his starting lineup in a big way without two typical starters. Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins gave this Oklahoma City squad a hot start to the contest.

Now, the Oklahoma City Thunder are only without one of their staple starters with Hartenstein still in street clothes against this massive Rockets lineup.

This left plenty of questions around how Oklahoma City would counter Houston be it going small or leaning back into their more traditional double-big look and starting Jaylin Williams who has been impressive since returning from injury on Sunday against the Miami Heat.

However, 30 minutes before tip-off, Mark Daigneault made his announcement for the first five. Joining the core trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren was of course Dort who returned from injury and Wiggins.

Daigneault has discussed this decision in the past opting for more of an offensive lift in the starting unit with the addition of the Maryland product in the opening group and tonight it would be big for the Thunder to equalize the size advantage by cashing in triples while the former second rounder is on the floor.

OKC Thunder, Houston Rocket — Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) moves the ball around Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) during double overtime at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

OKC Thunder vs. Houston Rockets Starting Five

OKC Thunder Starting Lineup

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
Lu Dort, G
Aaron Wiggins, F
Jalen Williams, F
Chet Holmgren, C

Houston Rockets Starting Lineup

Amen Thompson, G
Josh Okogie, G
Kevin Durant, F
Jabari Smith, F
Alperen Sengun, C

The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to maintain their winning ways on Thursday night, stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of this game and season.