The 2025-’26 NBA season opens with a bang Tuesday night with the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder battling the Houston Rockets in OKC. The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) with TV coverage on NBC and streaming on-demand .
How to watch Thunder vs. Rockets on TV and stream without cable:
When: Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT)
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
TV channel: NBC and Peacock
Streaming on: FuboTV (free trial) | DirecTV (free trial) | SlingTV (50% off first month) | Peacock ($10.99+/mo.)
Thunder vs. Rockets: The matchup
The Thunder open their title defense on their home floor against a Rockets team that finished second in the Western Conference and lost in seven games to the Golden State Warriors in the f