Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. kicked off the 2025-26 season with a power-packed performance.
The Oklahoma City Thunder kicked off the 2025-26 regular season on a blockbuster note. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came up with a power-packed performance of 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists to guide the reigning champions to a 125-124 win in a double-overtime thriller. Chet Holmgren dropped 28 points, seven rebounds, and two assists to the scoreboard on a night the Thunder received their first NBA rings since relocating to Oklahoma City.
On the other hand, Alperen Sengun dropped a game-high performance of 39 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Houston Rockets. Sengun shot 12-of-24 from the field, 5-of-8 from the three-point range, and 10-of-11 from the free-throw line. He became the third youngest forward in the NBA history to have a 35/10/5 game with five threes.
Apart from him, Kevin Durant dropped 23 points, nine rebounds, and three assists in his first game as a Rocket. Amen Thompson contributed 18 points before leaving early with a calf injury while Jabari Smith Jr. added 16 points and five rebounds.
However, despite such remarkable offensive effort and being in the lead for most of the time, the Thunder couldn’t manage to get past the victory line.
The Houston Rockets tipped off the game with a three-point lead in the opening quarter and maintained their dominance for three quarters. However, the hosts, who were playing from behind most of the time, came out alive in the final frame. The reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could manage to record only 11 points through the first quarters of the play before dropping 12 in the fourth period alone. He went on to score 12 points through both the overtimes, including a pair of free throws in the final 2.3 seconds of the game.
After the game headed into the first overtime after the score tied at 144, SGA hit a 25-foot 3-pointer with 3:36 left on the clock. A 6-2 run helped the Thunder manage to produce their biggest lead of the game to get ahead 110-104. The game was once tied in the final seconds of the overtime frame with an Alperen Sengun dunk.
In the second overtime, Sengun created a layup after an assist from Kevin Durant. It put the Rockets up 124-123 in the final seconds of the overtime period. It would have been a game-winning shot but Kevin Durant fouled out of the game, sending SGA to the line. Gilgeous-Alexander hit two free throws to give the side an epic win, raising expectations for the rest of the season.
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