The 2025-26 NBA season begins Tuesday with the defending champion. Oklahoma City Thunder carrying out Houston Rockets. OKC will raise its championship banner on opening night of the 2025 NBA season as the Thunder posted a franchise-best 68-14 record last season en route to the first title in team history. Meanwhile, Houston is coming off a 52-30 season and earned the second seed in the West before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Then four-time scoring champion joined the team, Kevin Durantin the offseason when he makes his debut against his former team.
Tipoff will take place at 7:30 pm ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Last year, the Thunder won the season series 3-2. OKC is a 6.5-point favorite in the latest Rockets vs. Thunder odds, and the over/under on total points scored is 227.5. Before choosing any Thunder vs. picks. Rockets, definitely Check out NBA projections and betting tips from the SportsLine Projection Model.
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The SportsLine Projection Model has simulated every NBA game 10,000 times and has generated over $10,000 in revenue. rates profit for players of $100 on its highest rated NBA Pick over the past seven seasons. The model enters the 2025-26 NBA season with a stunning 160-118 on all top-rated NBA picks, earning nearly $4,000. He also went 24-11 (69%) in the NBA's best against the spread last season. Anyone who follows him NBA betting advice in bookmakers and further betting apps one could see huge profits.
Now the model has simulated Rockets vs Thunder 10,000 times and just revealed his coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model selection. Here are a few NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Thunder vs. Rockets:
| Rockets vs Thunder | Oklahoma City -6.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook |
| Rockets vs Thunder over/under | 227.5 points |
| Rockets vs. Thunder Money Line | Oklahoma City -282, Houston +228 |
| Rockets vs Thunder picks | See the picks on SportsLine |
| Broadcast “Rockets vs Thunder” | Fubo (Try for free) |
Why the Rockets might be covering
While OKC won three of five games last year, Houston went 3-2 against the spread (ATS) in those games, including coverage in each of the last two. Then Houston went out and made its biggest trade of the offseason, trading for Durant, the NBA's eighth all-time leading scorer who a year ago averaged 26.6 points on 52.7 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent from beyond the arc. Durant addresses Houston's only weakness last year in long-range shooting, as trading him didn't cost the Rockets the loss of anyone at the core of their fourth defense.
Houston led the NBA in rebounding last year and was the second-best 3-point shooter. Amen Thompson made the All-Defensive First Team despite only starting half the season, and he's poised to take on a bigger role this year. Also return Alperen Sengunwho is a first-time All-Star and is averaging 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in the 2024-25 season. Find out which team to support at SportsLine.
Why Thunder can cover
Not only did Oklahoma City have the best record in the NBA last season, they also had the best record against the spread at 53-25-4. The team went 35–6 at home during the regular season, defeating Houston by more than nine points both times it hosted the Rockets. OKC's point differential in the regular season and postseason was the best in NBA history, and there was no attrition this offseason. Every Thunder player competing in the 2025 NBA Playoffs is under contract for that season.
Including MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderwho won the scoring title and whose 32.7 points per game are the most in NBA history for a player on a championship-winning team. Even Houston's stout defense was no match for Gilgeous-Alexander, as he gave up 51 points to the Rockets last year, in addition to having a pair of 32-point, 8-rebound games against Houston. His offensive exploits have somewhat overshadowed the fact that the Thunder led the NBA in defensive rating, steals, field goal percentage allowed and three-point percentage allowed in the 2024-25 season. Find out which team to support at SportsLine.
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How to Make Rockets vs Thunder Picks
The SportsLine model simulated the Thunder against the Rockets and scored under 219 points. The model also says that one side of the spread hits in more than 70% of simulations with an A-rated pick. You can head over to SportsLine to see the model's NBA picks..
So who will win the Rockets against the Thunder and which side of the spread lands in more than 70% of simulations for the A-ranked pick? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Thunder vs. Rockets is on the back, all from a model that brought in more than $10,000 on the highest-rated picks in the NBA.and find out.
