Game date, time and location: Saturday, Oct. 31, 8:40  p.m. ET, Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

TV: Space City Home Network (Houston), Griffin Media (OKC)

Radio: Sportstalk 790 AM (Houston), KWPN, WWLS-FM (OKC)

VITALS: After falling in Dallas 116-111 on Friday night, the Houston Rockets will try to rebound from their first loss of the season as the Oklahoma City Thunder arrive attempting to bounce back from its first defeat. One of the Western Conference’s top contenders will have a losing streak on their hands

The big news for Houston will be the return of center Alperen Sengun (24.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 7.0 apg), who has been dealing with lower back soreness and missed both road games against the Bucks and Mavs. Fred VanVleet will rest on the second of a back-to-back, while Kevin Durant is getting his wish and playing both ends for the second time this month. He scored a team-high 22 points in this same situation in a 121-114 win at the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 26.

The Thunder come off a 120-96 upset loss to the Mavericks, who got 26 points and eight assists from Cooper Flagg before he torched the Rockets for 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists to help deliver an upset behind a 40-27 fourth quarter edge. Durant led Houston with 28 points and Jabari Smith Jr. added 22 in Friday’s loss. 

OKC is without Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso, losing them all definitively this week. Williams is likely done for the season after suffering a horrific-looking injury, while Holmgren, Wallace and Caruso will all miss extended time. The Thunder were impressive in defeating the Spurs, Nuggets, Clippers and Suns to open the season, beating all but L.A. by double-digits. They ran out of gas in Dallas on Wednesday, getting outscored 55-37 in the second half. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat the entire fourth quarter, so he’ll come in rested.

The Rockets trail the Thunder 126-120 in the regular season series after losing two of three last season. They’ve dropped nine of the last 14 to OKC, including the only game at Toyota Center last season in a 111-91 decision on Jan. 15. Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 20 points in that game and was out of the lineup in the most recent matchup, a 112-106 Rockets’ win on Feb. 7. Tari Eason led Houston with 26 points while Sengun recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.

PROJECTED STARTERS

ROCKETS

F Kevin Durant

F Jabari Smith Jr.

C Alperen Sengun

G Marcus Smart

G Amen Thompson

THUNDER

G/F Ajay Mitchell

F Kenrich Williams

C Isaiah Hartenstein

G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

G Jared McCain

INJURY REPORT

ROCKETS

G Fred VanVleet: Out, Right Knee Injury Management

G Reed Sheppard: Out, Low Back Soreness

C Steven Adams: Out, Right Soleus Strain

F Julian Phillips: Out, G League - Two-way

G/F Quadir Copeland: Out, G League - Two-way

THUNDER

F Jalen Williams: Out, Left Ankle Surgery

F/C Chet Holmgren: Out, Right Knee Patellar Tendinitis

G Cason Wallace: Out, Left Shoulder Lateral Tear

G Alex Caruso: Out, Right Ankle Sprain

C Thomas Sorber: Out, Right Knee Surgery

G/F Nikola Topic: Out, Low Back Surgery

Spread: Rockets -2.5 (-110) Mavs +2.5 (-110)

Moneyline: Rockets -142, Thunder +120 

Total points scored: 219.5 (Over -110, Under -110)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 

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QUOTABLE

"We’ve got a lot of new guys playing right now, and we’ve got guys playing different roles, which we have to invest in. We’ll get better. We’ll improve as they get those rep. It’s good for them. It kind of broadens their game, and that’s good for us. There’s a lot of stuff we can improve." - Thunder HC Mark Daigneault on new personnel taking on larger roles

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