In A Battle Between OKC's Past And Present, SGA Outperformed KD

On opening night, the second overtime of the Oklahoma City Thunder-Houston Rockets matchup played out like an old Western shootout.

Poetically, two players who embodied the heart and soul of OKC were the primary protagonists in this showdown. In the end, the Thunder’s current sheriff, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, got the better of Kevin Durant, who used to be hailed as the Sooner State’s main man.

This epic OKC-Houston game (which, by the way, was the very first game of the new season) came down to one play that represents SGA’s triumph over KD on this night. With 11 seconds left on the game clock and the Rockets leading 124-123, Durant picked up Gilgeous-Alexander off the inbound pass. As the clock inched closer to expiring, the Rockets forward used his agility and wingspan to keep the reigning MVP at bay. 

For a moment, it looked as though the old stalwart would prevail.

But SGA, fresh from receiving his 2025 championship ring, didn’t get to the mountaintop for nothing. He dug deep into his bag of offensive tricks, ultimately planting his pivot foot and turning as if to hit a fadeaway.

Durant fell for it. Duped by Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot fake, the 6-foot-11 Hall of Famer launched himself in the air, allowing SGA to absorb contact and draw a foul.

The cameras caught Durant with a defeated look on his face. Though his numbers painted the picture of an excellent debut with the Rockets (23 points on 56.3% FG shooting, nine rebounds, three assists), KD had walked right into SGA’s bear trap and fouled out with 2.3 seconds left in the game.

Moments later, Gilgeous-Alexander hit two clutch free throws to put the Thunder up by one. In the last possession of the game, Jabari Smith Jr. bricked a corner three, as Alperen Sengun (who top-scored with 39 points for Houston) found himself covered by the defender extraordinaire, Lu Dort.

SGA, who finished with 35 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks, later talked about the mindset needed to fend off Durant and the imposing Rockets squad. 

“They were very aggressive with their coverages. That doesn’t deter me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said in a post-game interview. “I gotta keep playing through that.”

A decade ago, Durant played through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows to elevate the Thunder franchise. In 2025, the present and future sheriff in town just showed the entire NBA community that OKC is ruled by SGA.