NBA Opening Night Preview: Durant’s Homecoming and the West Coast Feud

The 2025-26 NBA season officially tips off tonight with a blockbuster double-header that celebrates the league’s past, present, and future. From a championship banner raising in Oklahoma City to a high-stakes rivalry in Los Angeles, the return of basketball promises fireworks and immediate answers to key offseason questions.

Game 1: Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder

7:30 PM ET, NBC/Peacock | Paycom Center

The opening act is thick with nostalgia and competitive fire as the reigning NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder raise their first-ever banner and receive their championship rings. Watching the ceremony from the opposing bench will be Kevin Durant, making his highly anticipated debut for the Houston Rockets.

• The Return: Durant, who spent the first nine seasons of his career with the franchise, returns as the centerpiece of a Rockets team that has dramatically shifted into “win-now” mode. Houston, which acquired Durant in a massive offseason trade, aims to immediately test the young Thunder core.
• The Champs’ Focus: The Thunder, led by Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, return the majority of their roster and are widely seen as favorites to repeat. Their challenge tonight is to maintain focus amidst the emotional banner ceremony and counter the potent scoring presence Durant brings to the revitalized Rockets. This game will be an early measure of whether Houston can genuinely challenge OKC’s Western Conference supremacy.

Game 2: Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers

10:00 PM ET, NBC/Peacock | Crypto.com Arena

The late game shifts the focus to a renewed West Coast rivalry defined by Hall of Fame star power and the dawn of a new Lakers era.

• The Last Dance (Minus One): The Lakers, entering what could be LeBron James’ record 23rd season, will surprisingly be without him, as the veteran star is sidelined until mid-November with a back injury.
• Luka’s Team: With James out, the spotlight shifts entirely to Luka Dončić, making his first full-season debut as the unquestioned leader of the Lakers. Dončić, who reportedly focused on his conditioning this offseason, is a top MVP candidate and will be eager to remind the league why he is one of the game’s elite.
• Warriors’ Re-Tool: Stephen Curry and the Warriors enter the season balancing aging star power (Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green) with new veteran help like Jimmy Butler (who is back from a minor ankle issue) and Al Horford. This opening night rivalry is a high-stakes test for the Warriors as they try to prove their veteran core still has the juice to contend in the West.

Opening night is always a statement, but with the storylines of championships, high-profile trades, and superstar health swirling, tonight’s doubleheader is set to ignite the 2025-26 season with intensity.