Tonight marks the start of the NBA season with back to back thrilling, must see games. The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder face the Kevin Durant led Houston Rockets at 7:30 p.m. EDT followed by the Golden State Warriors versus the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. EDT. These matchups are filled with storylines and suspense.
Kevin Durant to Houston
After three disappointing seasons in Phoenix and a less than stellar “Big 3” campaign with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, Durant joined the up and coming Houston Rockets who finished the 2025 campaign with a 52-30 record and second in the West. After their disappointing first round exit to the Golden State Warriors and an even more disappointing performance by Jalen Green, the team decided to make a move for Kevin Durant. This summer, Jalen Green and Rockets enforcer Dillon Brooks were traded to the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant.
Now Durant sets his sights on bringing a championship to the fifth team of his career. Tonight, Durant plays the team where he started his career, the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Durant was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics who were moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.) Since leaving the Thunder in 2016 for the Golden State Warriors, Durant has been criticized for taking an easy route to a championship, even being called a “coward.” The Thunder had the Warriors on the ropes with a 3-1 lead in the 2016 Western Conference Finals but eventually collapsed and lost three straight. Durant is still fighting this reputation. He has an opportunity to prove he can lead his own team to a title. Tonight’s season opener in Oklahoma City against the defending champions is a great test for the 15 time All Star.
OKC Repeating
The 2024 to 2025 season was an epic one for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They won the 2025 NBA championship and their leader, Shai Gilgeous Alexander, won his first MVP. It was the first title for the team since its move from Seattle in 2008 and Gilgeous Alexander is the third MVP in the team’s history, excluding their Supersonics days. Kevin Durant was the first in 2014.
Similar to their young core of Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden earlier in their career, this current OKC squad is filled with young talent including Gilgeous Alexander (27), Jalen Williams (24), and Chet Holmgren (23). In his 2024 to 2025 campaign, Williams averaged 21.6 points and 5.1 assists per game. Holmgren averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds per game and shot nearly 50 percent from the field. Additionally, they were the youngest team in the league last year with an average age of 24.1. This year, while they are not the youngest team, they still average a little above 24 years and bring back many of their key players like Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein. This team is set to repeat as champions but will have a lot of competition in the West.
Doncic’s First Full Season with the Lakers
In one of the most shocking trades in sports history, Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. The move left both franchises going in a new direction. Dallas eventually ended up with the number one pick in the draft in Cooper Flagg which helped mend the relationship between Dallas fans and Nico Harrison. Now Doncic looks to create his legacy in Los Angeles and cement his place in Lakers history.
The team adjustment after the trade was not as cohesive as many may have hoped. Losing Davis left a hole in the paint and a major dent in an already struggling defense. Many criticize Doncic for his conditioning and lack of defensive effort, often getting beat one on one, stuck in a pick and roll, or spending time arguing with the refs after a missed call on the offensive end which leads to a five on four possession for the other team. His weight gain each year since entering the league has also been an area of concern.
Despite this, Doncic has been an MVP caliber player, carrying the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024. Doncic is now a Laker and this is his team. Yes, LeBron is still on the team, but with his career coming to an end in the foreseeable future, Doncic’s opening night versus the Warriors gives everyone an opportunity to see how serious he is about taking his career and team to the next level. He worked on his weight and played superbly in EuroBasket this summer. Not surprisingly, he was the scoring leader averaging 34.7 points per game. What was more impressive was his defensive effort this summer, diving for balls, making steals, averaging 2.7 steals per game (tied for first), and hustling on both ends of the court. That is what many hope to see this season.
Last Chance for Steph and Jimmy
Jimmy Butler kicked and screamed until he finally forced his way out of Miami and was sent to the Golden State Warriors where he was able to play with one of the greatest players in NBA history, Steph Curry. The duo, along with Draymond Green, clawed their way to the number seven seed in the Western Conference where they faced and defeated the Houston Rockets in seven games. Many would say this was a successful outcome for a team bringing in a high caliber player like Jimmy Butler who had to adjust to playing alongside Curry and being the number two option.
Curry is entering his 16th season in the NBA and has nothing else to prove. He is a two time MVP and four time champion with many records and accomplishments, but Butler, who has been to the NBA Finals two times with the Miami Heat, has failed to win a title. With many teams getting younger, this could be the last chance for the duo.
Tonight’s games will keep fans on their feet with the storylines, great teams, and big name players. What is also exciting is this is the first time the NBA will be on NBC since 2002. The NBA on NBC theme song “Roundball Rock” by John Tesh is a staple in sports history and will return tonight.
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