<p>The Oklahoma City Thunder will kick off their defence of their NBA Championship on Wednesday, October 22, when they tip off against the Houston Rockets at 09:30 AEST.</p> <p>It will be the curtain raiser for the 2025/26 NBA regular season, with teams set to go through a long campaign of 82 fixtures.</p> <p>Will OKC be able to get off to a winning start? Or, will the Rockets’ blend of exciting youth and hugely experienced veterans be too much for them? Indeed, both are considered in the hunt to be <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us/nba-futures/nba-futures-2026-9324399">crowned the next winner</a>…</p> <h2>Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets: Betting Preview</h2> <p>Of course, we can’t talk about the reigning NBA champions without mentioning the current MVP. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was incredible for the team last season, as he finished the season with 32.7 points per game (leading the league), 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. He also shot 51.9% from the field and 87.6% from the free-throw line over 76 games.</p> <p>He’ll be a player to keep an eye on, as will other members of what is a very young squad. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are also efficient players who have been performing to exceptional standards and should give the Rockets plenty of trouble on Wednesday.</p> <p>The Rockets have been busy in the offseason, adding further quality to a roster that already possesses its fair share of stars.</p> <p>Although 37, Kevin Durant has continued to showcase his shooting abilities whenever he has been on the court. Even during preseason, he managed to provide a glimpse of why the team decided to acquire him in a seven-team trade, the largest in NBA history.</p> <p>He joins a core that features Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, with both players very appealing on the eye to bettors because of their point-scoring abilities. With all three of them on the same roster, if they can get going immediately, there could be some high scores in Houston this season.</p> <h2>Thunder vs Rockets: Betting Predictions</h2> <p>How have the last few matches gone between these two teams? They’ve been very close:</p> <ul> <li>On April 4, 2025, the Rockets won 125-111.</li> <li>On March 3, 2025, the Thunder won 137-128.</li> <li>On December 14, 2024, the Thunder won 111-96.</li> <li>On December 1, 2024, the Rockets won 119-116.</li> <li>On November 8, 2024, the Thunder won 126-107.</li> </ul> <p>Still, while the Rockets have won three of the last five, the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us/nba/houston-rockets-at-oklahoma-city-thunder-9613962">latest betting odds</a> for this game have OKC as the favourites, a prediction that we also share.</p> <p>OKC has a history of recording victories with margins greater than 10 points, so backing the ‘Thunder -7.5’ handicap could be the value play with this game. Additionally, the ‘Oklahoma City Thunder 11+’ outcome seems to offer value in the market.</p>