NBA Champion Thunder to host Rockets Opening Night on NBC
The reigning NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder will open the 2025-26 season on NBC, hosting the Houston Rockets, October 21. The Thunder will be featured in an Opening Night doubleheader on NBC, with the Warriors at Lakers set to follow, according to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania.
The Thunder will likely unveil the franchise's first championship banner and handout championship rings to the team before tip-off.
It will also be the first game that former Thunder franchise icon Kevin Durant suits up for the Rockets. Durant will get the first-hand experience of watching the franchise he spent his first nine seasons with celebrate its first championship.
Charania also reports that OKC will play on Christmas Day for the first time since 2018. The Thunder are set to host the Spurs in the second game of this year's Christmas Day slate. OKC is 6-3 all-time in Christmas Day games.