The Houston Rockets absolutely closed out their preseason on Thursday, October 15, 2026, with a dominant 116-89 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. Seriously, this game was a statement, especially when Bogdan Bogdanovic came off the bench and dropped a team-high 15 points in just 16 minutes. It felt like Houston was just flexing all night, and it’s gotta have other teams paying attention.
Houston’s Depth Is Already Showing Out
Look, 116 points is great, but it’s *how* they got those points that’s really wild. Bogdanovic led the charge from the bench, but he wasn’t alone. Alperen Şengün was right there with 14 points, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason both dropped 12, and even Kevin Durant and Reed Sheppard hit double-figures with 11 each. That’s *six* players in double digits! Houston shot 45.2% from the field and drained 17 three-pointers. Plus, they only turned the ball over 8 times while racking up 13 steals. That’s hustle. They’re heading into their regular season opener next Wednesday at home against the Dallas Mavericks, and you’ve gotta wonder how confident they feel after this kind of preseason performance. Dallas split two games with the Rockets in preseason in Macao, so that opener is gonna be spicy.
Thunder’s Woes Go Beyond Missing Players
On the flip side, the Thunder had a rough night, plain and simple. They were missing some key guys like Chet Holmgren, Carson Wallace, and Jaylin Williams, which definitely hurts, but their main guys, Jalen Williams (18 points, seven rebounds) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (17 points, three assists), still put in work. The big problem? OKC’s shooting was just brutal. They only hit 40.9% from the field, and from three-point land? Yikes. They went 5-for-36, a shocking 13.9%. That’s just not gonna cut it. They also coughed up the ball 17 times, which is almost double Houston’s eight turnovers. When you’re missing shots and giving away possessions, you’re just asking for trouble.
This win wraps up preseason for Houston, and they’ve clearly got some momentum. The Mavericks are up next in the regular season opener on Wednesday, and after seeing this kind of offensive explosion and defensive pressure, Houston has to feel good about what they’re bringing to the court. For OKC, that 13.9% from deep is a glaring problem they need to solve, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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