Inside The Thunder

Social Media reacts to OKC Thunder Season Opener vs. Houston Rockets

The NBA season started in Bricktown as the OKC Thunder hosted the Houston Rockets for the first game of the basketball season and the return to the NBA on NBC. Social Media reacted to this massive night.
Rylan Stiles|
Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate as their championship banner rises behind them during the championship ring and banner ceremony before the start of their game against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Oct 21, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate as their championship banner rises behind them during the championship ring and banner ceremony before the start of their game against the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Oklahoma City Thunder

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.

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.

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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is Lead Beat Writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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