The Houston Rockets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-89 at Toyota Center on Thursday, October 15, to close their preseason schedule with a convincing victory. Houston built a 27-15 lead in the first quarter and pulled away again after halftime, outscoring Oklahoma City 62-42 in the second half.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 24 minutes. Kevin Durant scored 11 points in 16 minutes, while Amen Thompson added 12 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Bogdan Bogdanovic led Houston’s bench with 15 points, making five of his eight three-point attempts. Tari Eason scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including two three-pointers, while Reed Sheppard contributed 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Fred VanVleet finished with seven points and eight assists without committing a turnover in 29 minutes. The Rockets recorded 34 assists as a team and shot 45.2% from the field, making 17 of 53 three-point attempts.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points for Oklahoma City, shooting 5-of-12 from the field and making two three-pointers. Jalen Williams added 18 points and seven rebounds, while Isaiah Hartenstein finished with six points and eight rebounds.
The Thunder struggled from long range, converting just five of 36 three-point attempts, a 13.9% success rate. Oklahoma City shot 40.9% overall and recorded 19 assists, well below Houston’s total.
Houston’s early advantage reached 18 points in the first quarter before Oklahoma City responded with a 32-point second period. The Thunder cut into the deficit and trailed 54-47 at halftime, keeping the game within reach.
The Rockets regained control in the third quarter, opening the second half with a three-pointer from Bogdanovic. He made three consecutive shots from beyond the arc during the opening stretch, helping Houston extend its lead to 16 points. The Rockets finished the period ahead 79-69.
Houston then took command in the fourth, scoring 37 points while limiting Oklahoma City to 20. Sheppard made a three-pointer early in the quarter, and Houston’s reserves continued to extend the margin. Bogdanovic added two more three-pointers late in the game as the Rockets crossed the 100-point mark and secured a 27-point win.
The result left Houston with a 2-1 preseason record, while Oklahoma City finished its exhibition schedule at 1-4.
