The Launch Pad: Houston Closes Preseason at Home Against…

By the Rockets Nightly Desk · Thursday, October 15

Houston plays its final preseason game tonight against Oklahoma City, with Steven Adams, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet and Kevin Durant each listed questionable and today marked as their expected return. The Rockets open the regular season at home against Dallas on October 21, six days away.

Rockets Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Last season

Oklahoma City won 64 games last season under Mark Daigneault, outscoring opponents at a 117.6 offensive mark against a 106.5 defensive mark for an 11.1-point differential at a 100.4 pace. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, Chet Holmgren added 17.1 points and 8.9 boards. Houston finished 52-30, with an offense at 117.5 and a defense allowing 112.1 points per hundred possessions.

This week

Houston split its last two preseason games against Dallas, winning 135-117 on October 9 behind 20 points from Tari Eason and 17 from Fred VanVleet, then losing 115-132 on October 11. Preseason results do not count toward the standings; Houston still sits at 0-0 ahead of tonight.

Tonight

Houston hosts Oklahoma City tonight on NBA TV in its last tune-up before the opener. Adams, Sengun, VanVleet and Durant are each listed questionable, with today marked as the date each is expected back. Thomas Sorber, Jaylin Williams, Ajay Mitchell and Chet Holmgren are also questionable for Oklahoma City, and Otega Oweh is out with an Achilles injury. Whether Houston's four sit or play is still unresolved.

Oct 21

Houston enters tonight with four days of rest already banked and six days until the regular-season opener at home against Dallas on October 21. Oklahoma City, playing on one day of rest, plays again in five days.

Next Houston opens the regular season October 21 at home against the Mavericks, six days from tonight's preseason finale.

Is tonight's Rockets-Thunder game part of the regular season?

No, it is Houston's final preseason game before the regular-season opener on October 21 against Dallas.

Which Rockets are questionable for the Thunder game?

Steven Adams, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet and Kevin Durant are each listed questionable, with today marked as their expected return date.

By the Rockets Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.