The Houston Rockets wrap up their 2026 preseason slate at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, October 15. This final tune-up follows a pair of exhibition games against the Dallas Mavericks, where the teams split the results. The Rockets dropped their last preseason outing, falling 115-132 to the Mavericks on October 11. They had previously won the first meeting 135-117 on October 9.
Head coach Ime Udoka's group enters this game with a relatively settled rotation. Veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic are the primary new additions. Smart has a prior relationship with Udoka from their time in Boston, which should ease his integration. Bogdanovic, 34, brings extensive NBA experience and a reliable shooting touch. The team's core from last season remains intact, so these preseason games have been more about fine-tuning than major evaluation.
The Thunder face a different set of circumstances. They are integrating rookies Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz while also getting a full offseason with Jared McCain. First-round pick Nikola Topic has been sidelined with a back injury throughout the preseason. Financially, the team made moves to accommodate the massive rookie extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, plus Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's upcoming salary increase. This led to the offseason trades of rotation players like Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe. With more new pieces to incorporate, the Thunder likely value these extra preseason reps more than the Rockets do right now.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM CT at the Toyota Center. The game will be broadcast on NBA TV and locally on the Space City Home Network. Both teams are dealing with several players listed as game-time decisions, so the final rotations may not be fully representative of regular season plans. The contest serves as a last chance for players on the fringe to make an impression before the games start to count for real.
All focus quickly shifts to the regular season opener. The Rockets will begin their 2026-27 campaign next Wednesday night, right back at home against the Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks. That game will provide the first true test of Houston's offseason adjustments and their aspirations in a competitive Western Conference. The team's complete regular season schedule is available on our schedule page.
