The Week Ahead: One Preseason Finale, Then a Season That…

By the Thunder Nightly Desk · Thursday, October 15

Oklahoma City plays its preseason finale at Houston on NBA TV, then opens the actual schedule five days later at San Antonio with the record still 0-0. Four regulars carry day-to-day tags into that stretch, and Otega Oweh is done for the year.

One Last Tune-Up

Oklahoma City is at Houston tonight on NBA TV, the last tune-up before the record starts counting. The Thunder are working on one day of rest after two games in the previous seven, their lone game on this short road trip. Houston has had four days off and has played the same two games in the past week, a quieter buildup heading into its own opener. Houston went 52-30 last season with a top-ten offense, so even an exhibition look at Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun carries weight. Steven Adams, Sengun, Fred VanVleet and Durant are all day-to-day for the Rockets, so Houston may not show its full hand either.

The Date That Actually Matters

The exhibition slate ends tonight; the schedule that counts opens October 20 at San Antonio on NBC and Peacock. Oklahoma City gets five days between Houston and that opener, more rest than it has had all preseason. Two days after that, the Thunder host Denver on ESPN, their home opener and a quick first measuring stick of the regular season. A fourth game follows fast: Oklahoma City hosts the Clippers on October 25, three days after Denver, opening the real schedule with three games in eight days.

Who Won't Be Ready

Ajay Mitchell, Jaylin Williams, Thomas Sorber and Chet Holmgren are all day-to-day, with the Thunder's internal target listing a possible return today. Otega Oweh will not be part of any of it; a right Achilles rupture has already ended his rookie season. That leaves Oklahoma City thin at the margins heading into the only game that still doesn't count, before the record starts for real.

Is tonight's Thunder-Rockets game a real game?

No, it's a preseason exhibition; the Thunder's actual record stays at 0-0 until the regular season opener at San Antonio on October 20.

Who is out for the Thunder this week?

Ajay Mitchell, Jaylin Williams, Thomas Sorber and Chet Holmgren are day-to-day, and Otega Oweh is out for the season with a right Achilles rupture.

By the Thunder 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.