OKLAHOMA CITY – The Thunder planned Tuesday’s pregame festivities for months, down to a nice touch of the reigning NBA champions posing in front of their banner, which was suspended in mid air before rising to its final resting place in the rafters.
But it’s what happened after all the hoopla that served as a reminder of how the Thunder earned the right to party in the first place.
Advertisement
Fighting back from 12 points down in the second half, and then surviving what should have been a Chris Webber-like moment for one of Oklahoma City’s former favorite sons, the Thunder hung on for a 125-124 win over the Houston Rockets to kick off season No. 80 of NBA basketball in much the same fashion it ended season 79.
The Thunder’s pregame party was the result of outlasting the Indiana Pacers in seven thrilling, competitive finals games. The stakes on Tuesday were obviously much lower, but you couldn’t tell that to anyone on the court in the closing seconds of regulation or either overtime.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP reign, like his team’s title defense, is off to a very good start.
Continue Reading on New York Times
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.