Oct 15, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles the ball during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets delivered an impressive preseason statement, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-89 behind a barrage of three-pointers and a dominant defensive performance. Houston overcame some inefficient shooting from its starters by getting outstanding production from its bench, while Oklahoma City couldn’t hit the ocean from a boat.
The Rockets knocked down 17 three-pointers on 53 attempts, with Bogdan Bogdanovic leading the way by hitting five of his eight attempts from beyond the arc. Houston also recorded 34 assists and committed just eight turnovers, showcasing the ball movement and offensive discipline that can make this team dangerous.
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, shot a brutal 5-36 from three-point range, finishing at just 14%. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points, and Jalen Williams added 18, but the Thunder never found the perimeter rhythm needed to challenge Houston.
Here are five things we learned from the Rockets’ convincing victory.
1. Houston’s Three-Point Shooting Completely Buried Oklahoma City
The biggest difference in this game was Houston’s ability to hit threes as the Thunder went ice cold.
The Rockets finished 17-53 from three-point range. Although 32.1% is not an extraordinary team percentage, Houston made 12 more three-pointers than the Thunder, creating a massive scoring advantage from the perimeter.
Bogdan Bogdanovic was the standout, finishing with 15 points on 5-9 shooting overall and 5-8 from deep. Reed Sheppard also knocked down three triples, finishing with 11 points, while Isaiah Crawford and Julian Phillips each connected on two three-pointers despite limited minutes.
Houston’s perimeter production was particularly impressive because its starters struggled to find their shooting touch. Fred VanVleet shot just 1-9 from three-point range, Jabari Smith Jr. missed all five of his attempts, and Kevin Durant went 0-4.
The bench made up for those struggles, giving Houston the outside shooting it needed to pull away.
Oklahoma City’s performance was far more concerning. The Thunder converted just five of their 36 attempts from three-point range, with Jared McCain missing all eight of his attempts and Ajay Mitchell going 0-4. Even Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams managed only two made threes apiece.
The Thunder are too talented to be defined by one preseason shooting performance, but this game showed how quickly a cold perimeter night can become a blowout when the opponent finds enough outside shooting.
2. Houston’s Bench Provides A Major Offensive Boost
Houston’s reserves were instrumental in securing the victory, delivering the scoring punch that the starting lineup struggled to provide consistently.
Bogdanovic led the bench with 15 points, while Tari Eason added 12 points on 5-7 shooting, including two three-pointers. Sheppard contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, giving Houston another productive performance from a young guard who can impact the game in multiple ways.
Isaiah Crawford also scored seven points and made two three-pointers, while Julian Phillips added six points on 2-3 shooting, hitting both of his attempts from deep.
The depth was especially important because several Houston starters had inefficient shooting nights. Durant finished with 11 points on 4-10 shooting, Smith scored four points on 2-10 shooting, and VanVleet managed seven points on 3-13 shooting.
Despite those struggles, Houston still scored 116 points and shot 45.2% from the field.
The bench’s contributions also helped the Rockets maintain offensive pressure throughout the game rather than relying on their starters to carry the scoring burden. Houston’s 34 assists and eight turnovers reinforced the team’s ability to generate opportunities collectively.
Preseason rotations are not necessarily representative of what a team’s regular-season hierarchy will look like, but this performance offered an encouraging glimpse of Houston’s potential depth.
If the Rockets can consistently get this kind of production from their reserves, they will have more flexibility when their starters struggle or need a rest.
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander And Jalen Williams Need More Help
Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams were Oklahoma City’s leading scorers, but their efforts were not enough to keep the Thunder competitive.
Williams finished with 18 points on 7-14 shooting, adding seven rebounds and a block. Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 17 points on 5-12 shooting, making two three-pointers and converting all five of his free throws.
Ajay Mitchell finished with seven points on 3-10 shooting, while Alex Caruso scored three points and missed both of his three-point attempts. Isaiah Hartenstein recorded six points and eight rebounds, but his offensive involvement was limited.
The bench offered little shooting relief, particularly from McCain, who went 3-13 from the field and missed all eight of his three-point attempts. Other reserves struggled to make an impact as the Thunder searched for a reliable source of offense.
The result was a team that finished with just 89 points on 40.9% shooting overall and 13.9% from three-point range.
It would be unfair to suggest that Oklahoma City’s established stars need to change their approach based on a preseason loss. However, the game reinforced the importance of having reliable secondary scoring and perimeter shooting around them.
When Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams draw defensive attention, Oklahoma City needs its other players to capitalize on the resulting opportunities. Against Houston, those shots simply were not falling.
4. The Rockets’ Ball Movement And Ball Security Stand Out
Houston’s offensive performance was about more than making three-pointers. The Rockets also moved the ball well and did an excellent job limiting mistakes.
They recorded 34 assists against only eight turnovers, an outstanding ratio that allowed them to maximize their possessions. Oklahoma City finished with 19 assists and 17 turnovers, giving Houston a significant advantage in both playmaking and ball security.
VanVleet led Houston with eight assists despite his shooting struggles. Alperen Sengun added five assists alongside 14 points and seven rebounds, while Amen Thompson contributed four assists, 12 points, and five rebounds.
The Rockets had several players capable of creating opportunities, which prevented the offense from becoming overly dependent on one ball-handler.
Sengun was particularly effective inside, shooting 7-11 from the field and adding two blocks. His combination of scoring, rebounding, and passing helped Houston maintain offensive flow even when its perimeter players were inconsistent.
The Rockets’ 34 assists also showed how well they capitalized on Oklahoma City’s defensive rotations. Once the Thunder struggled to contain the initial action, Houston frequently found another player in position to score.
Of course, eight turnovers in a preseason game do not guarantee that Houston will maintain that level throughout the regular season. Still, the efficient ball movement and limited mistakes are an encouraging sign for a team looking to establish itself among the Western Conference’s top contenders.
5. Oklahoma City’s Perimeter Defense Has Plenty To Review
Houston deserves credit for its shooting, but Oklahoma City’s defensive performance also needs major attention. It was plain ugly at times.
The Rockets attempted 53 three-pointers, a crazy volume that put a ton of pressure on the Thunder’s perimeter defense. Houston did not shoot an extraordinary percentage from deep, but it generated enough attempts and converted enough of them to create a comfortable margin.
The Thunder also struggled to limit Houston’s overall offensive production. The Rockets shot 45-104 from the field and finished with 116 points, while their 34 assists demonstrated how frequently they found scoring opportunities through ball movement.
Oklahoma City’s 17 turnovers compounded the problem by giving Houston additional possessions and making it harder for the Thunder to establish any offensive rhythm of their own.
The defensive numbers were not uniformly poor. Hartenstein grabbed eight rebounds, Aday Mara collected nine boards, and Oklahoma City recorded three steals and three blocks. However, those contributions could not offset the damage done by Houston’s perimeter attack.
It is important to keep the preseason context in mind. One poor defensive showing does not mean Oklahoma City’s defense will become a weakness.
Still, the Thunder will want to review how Houston generated so many three-point attempts and how they can better contest those shots without compromising their defensive structure.
Against a Rockets team with multiple capable shooters, those adjustments could make a difference.
Eddie is a senior staff writer for Fadeaway World from Denver, Colorado. Since joining the team in 2017, Eddie has applied his academic background in economics and finance to enhance his sports journalism. Graduating with a Bachelor's degree from and later a Master's degree in Finance, he integrates statistical analysis into his articles. This unique approach provides readers with a deeper understanding of basketball through the lens of financial and economic concepts. Eddie's work has not only been a staple at Fadeaway World but has also been featured in prominent publications such as Sports Illustrated. His ability to break down complex data and present it in an accessible way creates an engaging and informative way to visualize both individual and team statistics. From finding the top 3 point shooters of every NBA franchise to ranking players by cost per point, Eddie is constantly finding new angles to use historical data that other NBA analysts may be overlooking.