OKLAHOMA CITY -- — Thunder fans got everything they wanted on Tuesday — a ring ceremony, a championship banner unveiling and a win over ex-Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, hit two free throws with 2.3 seconds remaining in the second overtime to give the Thunder a 125-124 win. It was just the sixth time an opening night went to double overtime and the first time since 2005.

Gilgeous-Alexander, last season’s scoring champion, had just five points at halftime but finished with 35.

Thunder fans still haven’t forgiven Durant for leaving the Thunder in 2016 to join the Golden State Warriors, their biggest rival at the time. Durant had 23 points and nine rebounds in his first game with Houston after being traded in the offseason. He was booed loudly during pregame starter introductions, and that continued for much of the game.

Durant fouled Gilgeous-Alexander with the Rockets leading 124-123 in the second extra period. The crowd cheered as Durant exited the game with his sixth personal foul. Gilgeous-Alexander made both free throws for the decisive points. Houston's Jabari Smith Jr. missed a 19-foot jumper as time expired, and the Thunder survived in the season opener for both teams.

Chet Holmgren added 28 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder. Ajay Mitchell added 16 points, including a four-point play with one second left in the first half.

Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams, a first-time All-Star last season, sat out as he continues to recover from a right wrist injury he sustained last season. He had surgery on July 1, and coach Mark Daigneault said he is “progressing.”

Alperen Sengun had 39 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets. He made a career-high five 3-pointers.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s short jumper with 2.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter tied the game at 104. Sengun missed a fadeaway at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

With the score tied at 115 in the closing seconds of the first overtime, Gilgeous-Alexander missed and Durant rebounded and tried to call a timeout that the Rockets didn’t have. The Thunder noticed and tried to alert the officials, but no call was made and the game went to a second overtime. Crew chief Zach Zarba said after the game that none of the three officials saw Durant call the timeout, so it was not granted.

Up next

The Rockets visit the Detroit Pistons on Friday.

The Thunder visit the Indiana Pacers on Thursday in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals series the Thunder won in seven games.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Steven Adams vs. Chet Holmgren (Amen Thompson gains possession)	0	0
11:36	Alperen Sengun misses 25-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:31	Cason Wallace defensive rebound	0	0
11:26	Chet Holmgren makes 1-foot layup (Luguentz Dort assists)	2	0
11:26	Jabari Smith Jr. shooting foul	2	0
11:26	Chet Holmgren makes free throw 1 of 1	3	0
11:08	Amen Thompson misses 23-foot three point jumper	3	0
11:04	Jabari Smith Jr. offensive rebound	3	0
11:02	Jabari Smith Jr. makes two point shot	3	2
10:50	Chet Holmgren makes 7-foot two point shot (Cason Wallace assists)	5	2
10:40	Chet Holmgren kicked ball violation	5	2
10:24	Alperen Sengun misses 15-foot pullup jump shot	5	2
10:24	Rockets offensive team rebound	5	2
10:24	shot clock turnover	5	2
10:11	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bad pass (Alperen Sengun steals)	5	2
10:07	Kevin Durant makes two point shot (Amen Thompson assists)	5	4
9:52	Chet Holmgren makes 13-foot two point shot	7	4
9:35	Jabari Smith Jr. makes 26-foot three point jumper (Amen Thompson assists)	7	7
9:21	Cason Wallace misses 26-foot three point jumper	7	7
9:17	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	7	7
9:06	Kevin Durant misses 9-foot pullup jump shot	7	7
9:04	Chet Holmgren defensive rebound	7	7
8:57	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander misses 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	7	7
8:54	Isaiah Hartenstein offensive rebound	7	7
8:49	Luguentz Dort makes 1-foot driving dunk	9	7
8:20	Amen Thompson misses 23-foot three point jumper	9	7
8:18	Steven Adams offensive rebound	9	7
8:17	Amen Thompson makes 3-foot pullup jump shot (Steven Adams assists)	9	9
8:17	Cason Wallace shooting foul	9	9
8:17	Amen Thompson makes free throw 1 of 1	9	10
8:07	Chet Holmgren lost ball turnover (Alperen Sengun steals)	9	10
8:03	Jabari Smith Jr. misses running pullup jump shot	9	10
8:00	Isaiah Hartenstein defensive rebound	9	10
7:49	Isaiah Hartenstein misses driving floating jump shot	9	10
7:47	Isaiah Hartenstein offensive rebound	9	10
7:45	Isaiah Hartenstein misses 8-foot jumper	9	10
7:44	Thunder offensive team rebound	9	10
7:42	Chet Holmgren makes 23-foot jumper (Luguentz Dort assists)	11	10
7:26	Amen Thompson makes 23-foot pullup jump shot	11	12
7:10	Chet Holmgren makes 13-foot jumper (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assists)	13	12
7:10	Rockets Full timeout	13	12
7:10	(07:10) [Rockets] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL REPLAYCENTER)	13	12
6:52	Alperen Sengun makes driving layup	13	14
6:40	Jabari Smith Jr. shooting foul	13	14
6:40	Chet Holmgren makes free throw 1 of 2	14	14
6:40	Tari Eason enters the game for Jabari Smith Jr.	14	14
6:40	Chet Holmgren makes free throw 2 of 2	15	14
6:29	Amen Thompson makes 13-foot driving floating jump shot	15	16
6:29	Isaiah Hartenstein shooting foul	15	16
6:29	Amen Thompson makes free throw 1 of 1	15	17
6:16	Luguentz Dort misses 26-foot three point jumper	15	17
6:15	Rockets defensive team rebound	15	17
6:15	Isaiah Hartenstein loose ball foul	15	17
6:15	Jaylin Williams enters the game for Isaiah Hartenstein	15	17
5:56	Kevin Durant makes 5-foot driving floating jump shot	15	19
5:43	Jaylin Williams makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Cason Wallace assists)	17	19
5:31	Amen Thompson makes 1-foot layup (Alperen Sengun assists)	17	21
5:31	Thunder Full timeout	17	21
5:31	Reed Sheppard enters the game for Alperen Sengun	17	21
5:15	Kevin Durant shooting foul	17	21
5:15	Luguentz Dort makes free throw 1 of 2	18	21
5:15	Luguentz Dort makes free throw 2 of 2	19	21
4:53	Kevin Durant misses 25-foot three point jumper	19	21
4:47	Cason Wallace defensive rebound	19	21
4:39	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes 2-foot two point shot (Jaylin Williams assists)	21	21
4:25	Kevin Durant misses 11-foot two point shot	21	21
4:23	Luguentz Dort defensive rebound	21	21
4:17	Luguentz Dort makes driving layup	23	21
4:08	Jaylin Williams personal foul	23	21
4:08	Clint Capela enters the game for Steven Adams	23	21
4:03	Luguentz Dort personal foul	23	21
4:03	Kevin Durant makes free throw 1 of 2	23	22
4:03	Aaron Wiggins enters the game for Cason Wallace	23	22
4:03	Kevin Durant makes free throw 2 of 2	23	23
3:43	Aaron Wiggins misses 22-foot three point jumper	23	23
3:39	Kevin Durant defensive rebound	23	23
3:33	Amen Thompson out of bounds bad pass turnover	23	23
3:26	Thunder Coach's Challenge	23	23
3:26	(03:26) [Thunder] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL OVERTURNED) [Thunder] retain their timeout	23	23
3:26	Reed Sheppard shooting foul	23	23
3:26	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes free throw 1 of 2	24	23
3:26	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander misses free throw 2 of 2	24	23
3:26	Alex Caruso enters the game for Chet Holmgren	24	23
3:26	Alperen Sengun enters the game for Amen Thompson	24	23
3:24	Tari Eason defensive rebound	24	23
3:00	Kevin Durant makes 16-foot pullup jump shot (Alperen Sengun assists)	24	25
2:47	Jaylin Williams misses 26-foot three point jumper	24	25
2:43	Tari Eason defensive rebound	24	25
2:21	shot clock turnover	24	25
2:21	Brooks Barnhizer enters the game for Luguentz Dort	24	25
2:10	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander misses 15-foot step back jumpshot	24	25
2:07	Alperen Sengun defensive rebound	24	25
2:00	Kevin Durant lost ball turnover (Jaylin Williams steals)	24	25
1:54	Aaron Wiggins makes 25-foot three point shot (Alex Caruso assists)	27	25
1:37	Reed Sheppard makes 28-foot three point jumper (Alperen Sengun assists)	27	28
1:23	Alex Caruso misses 25-foot three point jumper	27	28
1:21	Tari Eason defensive rebound	27	28
1:02	Clint Capela makes 2-foot hook shot (Alperen Sengun assists)	27	30
49.8	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lost ball turnover (Reed Sheppard steals)	27	30
46.9	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander blocks Tari Eason 's 1-foot two point shot	27	30
45.7	Rockets offensive team rebound	27	30
37.0	Kevin Durant misses 25-foot three point jumper	27	30
34.1	Alperen Sengun offensive rebound	27	30
19.9	Alperen Sengun misses 20-foot pullup jump shot	27	30
17.7	Alex Caruso defensive rebound	27	30
9.2	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bad pass (Clint Capela steals)	27	30
5.6	Tari Eason offensive charge	27	30
5.6	Tari Eason turnover	27	30
5.6	Ajay Mitchell enters the game for Alex Caruso	27	30
5.6	Chris Youngblood enters the game for Brooks Barnhizer	27	30
5.6	Amen Thompson enters the game for Reed Sheppard	27	30
5.6	Josh Okogie enters the game for Clint Capela	27	30
0.1	Aaron Wiggins lost ball turnover (Amen Thompson steals)	27	30
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	27	30

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Paycom Center

Oklahoma City, OK

Date & Time

11:30 PM, October 21, 2025

Coverage

NBC, Peacock, ERADM

Attendance

18,203

Referees

Zach Zarba, Eric Dalen, Jason Goldenberg

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	36	16	.692	W4
Houston	32	19	.627	W1
Memphis	20	31	.392	L2
Dallas	19	33	.365	L7
New Orleans	14	40	.259	W1

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	40	13	.755	L2
Denver	34	19	.642	W1
Minnesota	32	22	.593	L2
Portland	25	28	.472	W2
Utah	16	37	.302	L2

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Thunder celebrate ring ceremony, banner unveiling and double-OT win over Durant's Rockets

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