NBA on NBC Tip-off: Where to Watch Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
The champs' title defense starts here!
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It's been a long time coming, not just for the return of regular season NBA action, but for the return of the NBA to its rightful home, NBC. It's been over 20 years since the heyday of NBA on NBC, but that heyday is back in force, starting October 21 with the defending champs facing a team that has all the weapons to knock them off their throne.
If you're more than ready for some of the best athletes in the world soaring to unbelievable heights, then you're going to want to tune in. And we've got all the details about how to catch the NBA Tipoff game between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets.
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Where can you watch the NBA Tipoff Game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets?
Watch the defending NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, begin their title defense against the Houston Rockets Tuesday, October 21 at at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
And be sure to stay tuned for the second half of the NBA Tipoff doubleheader on NBC and Peacock, featuring LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers and Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors at 10 p.m. ET.
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What to watch for in Thunder vs. Rockets
Any discussion as to what to watch for with the Thunder has to begin with their Big Three, and any discussion of that has to begin with the team's MVP, the league's current MVP, and the last NBA Finals MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who also happens to be the reigning scoring champ too, having averaged 32.7 points per game last season.
Rounding out the Thunder's Big Three are big man Chet Holmgren, who is a nightmare rim protector who can also spread the floor with his shooting, and Jalen Williams (aka J-Dub), a gangly wing who can fill it up from anywhere. Add to that a deep, deep bench and a coach who pushes all the right buttons -- 2023/24's NBA Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault -- and you've got a championship squad that has all the tools to run it back.
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Of course Houston's got their own firepower. The Rockets had the second best record in the Western Conference last year (behind the Thunder), and they're arguably more formidable this year, what with arguably the league's biggest off-season acquisition: sure-bet NBA Hall-of-Famer, Kevin Durant.
Under head coach Ime Udoka, the Rockets' talent well also runs deep, with a solid mix of youngsters (like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Reed Sheppard) and savvy vets (Steven Adams, Clint Capela, Jeff Green, and Dorian Finney-Smith). Unfortunately, their floor general, All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet, who re-signed with the team on a two-year, $50 million contract back in June, suffered a believed-to-be season-ending ACL injury in September. So it'll be interesting to see how the Rockets figure out who's going to distribute the ball to all that talent.
The NBA on NBC returns October 21 and continues Monday and Tuesdays all season long on NBC and Peacock.
