The Rockets of the Durant-Sengun pair pushed the Thunder to their last entrenchments but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (35 points) knew how to step up his game to conclude this "Ring Night" with a success in double overtime, 125-124.
We could not have dreamt of a better scenario to launch the 2025-26 season! The first confrontation between the Thunder, reigning champions who experienced their ring ceremony and the raising of their banner, and Houston kept all its promises.
Now reinforced by Kevin Durant's arrival (23 points), the Rockets' young wolves long thwarted the Rockets' plans, primarily through Alperen Sengun (39 points, career record equalled, 11 rebounds, 7 assists).
Until Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sounded the end of playtime. Author of 12 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, including the equalising basket with 2 seconds remaining, OKC's leader guided his team to the end to snatch this first victory, at the end of two overtimes.
A fierce battle from A to Z
Chet Holmgren was the first to stand out and display his versatility in a "KD-style" (15-14). After Isaiah Hartenstein's exit, Houston managed to gain the upper hand thanks to their physical impact and size to accompany an already operational Kevin Durant (27-30). The Rockets accentuated their lead in the second quarter, thanks to three-pointers from the Okogie-Eason-Sengun trio and Kevin Durant's hot streak (51-57).
Propelled to +12 after responding with a 6-0 run (51-63), Houston then suffered the locals' more aggressive defence, and had to absorb SGA's awakening, whose three baskets brought OKC back into contention (63-67).
Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins took over with notably a thunderous dunk from Wiggins on Capela to keep the Thunder in contention after three quarters (75-79). Alperen Sengun pulled out two three-pointers and a 2+1 to give the Rockets momentum again (85-90). But SGA's persistence ended up paying off, his three baskets, his four free throws and his assist for Cason Wallace's three-pointer, having allowed OKC to retake the lead (102-101).
Alperen Sengun took advantage of his size advantage to score two more points, and Kevin Durant then had the opportunity to put the Rockets back at +3 with 9 seconds remaining. His first missed free throw kept the Thunder alive, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not hold back to punish Amen Thompson from mid-range and equalise at 104-104.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes up for a basket
SGA forces destiny
In overtime, the reigning champions thought they had their chance, chaining three-pointers like uppercuts, by SGA, and Chet Holmgren twice (115-111). But this time it was Houston who refused to die to force a new overtime on an Alperen Sengun dunk.
The suspense was unbearable until the end, especially when KD's 2+1 and Alperen Sengun's basket returned the favour to Cason Wallace and SGA's three-pointers (123-124). With his team's life in hand, SGA then managed to make KD bite on his feint to finish the job on two free throws, scored without trembling with two seconds from the buzzer. This time, after a final failed attempt by Jabari Smith Jr, OKC were able to savour their first success (125-124).
What to remember
SGA in diesel mode. We almost did not see him in the first half, then last season's MVP progressively regained his aggressiveness as the minutes went by. A successful first outing in the end since he carried his team in money time then in overtime until his last two points from the free-throw line after having Kevin Durant sent off for his sixth personal foul.
The Rockets' "Very (very) tall ball". "Everything is bigger in Texas", and the adage was verified again tonight with this starting five of big babies, notably composed of Kevin Durant (2.08m), Jabari Smith Jr (2.11m), Alperen Sengun (2.11m) and Steven Adams (2.11m). It had been 55 years since we had seen such a tall starting five for an "Opening Night"! A profile that sometimes translated into an experimental playing style, with Amen Thompson at "position 1", but also a huge dominance under the boards.
KD's first with Houston. Manhandled by Luguentz Dort and booed by the Paycom Center, Kevin Durant nevertheless managed some good passages, faithful to his style. Some shadows on the table nevertheless: his 0/4 from three-point range, his missed free throw at 103-102, and his sixth foul against SGA which prevented him from participating in the match's last action.
This article was originally published on Basket USA.
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