Oklahoma City led 8-6 before the Rockets answered with 20 unanswered points, then broke a second tie with a 16-0 run that carried from the second quarter into the third and pushed the gap to 29. Oklahoma City's best answer, a 10-0 run, cut that deficit from 17 to nine, but Houston pulled away again to close it out 89-116.
Two Runs Broke It Open
Oklahoma City opened with an 8-6 lead, its largest cushion of the night, before Houston answered with 20 unanswered points that turned it into a 26-11 deficit. A second run, 16 points to none spanning the end of the second quarter into the third, pushed the Rockets' lead from three to 17 and set up the night's largest gap, 29. The Thunder's best answer was a 10-0 run in the third quarter that cut the deficit from 17 to nine, but Houston answered every push the rest of the way.
Grading the Box Score
Jalen Williams was Oklahoma City's best performer, scoring a team-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting with seven rebounds, his minus-1 in 25 minutes one of the few Thunder marks that stayed close to even. Jared McCain was the lone Thunder player to finish on the plus side, at plus-8 in 21 minutes, adding six rebounds and two steals despite making just three of 13 shots. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's counting stats were tidy — 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting with five made free throws — but his minus-24 in 26 minutes was the night's worst mark, a sign of how much ground Oklahoma City lost while he was on the floor.
Before It Starts Counting
The defeat closed a mixed week that included a loss at the Hawks and a victory against the Pacers, leaving Oklahoma City's preseason record uneven. The next game, at the Spurs, is also the regular-season opener, arriving in five days with Oklahoma City on one day of rest before this loss against Houston's four. The record stays at 0-0 until then, with every number from this stretch, the 89-116 final included, belonging to preseason, not the standings.
What was the final score of the Thunder-Rockets preseason game?
Oklahoma City fell 89-116 at Houston on October 15, a preseason game that aired on NBA TV.
When do the Thunder play next?
Oklahoma City's next game is October 20 at the Spurs, which also opens the 2026-27 regular season.
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Week ahead · Thu, Oct 15The Week Ahead: One Preseason Finale, Then a Season That Counts
Postgame · Tue, Oct 13Thunder Beat Pacers 114-112 Playing Through Zero Rest
Postgame · Mon, Oct 12Thunder Fall to Hawks, 110-113, as Reserves Fill the Floor
Postgame · Wed, Oct 7Thunder's Closing Group Can't Hold 22-Point Lead, Fall 126-128 to Bucks
Postgame · Tue, Oct 6Thunder Blow 24-Point Lead, Fall 110-116 to Pelicans in Preseason