OKC looks to Houston to reignite momentum
The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Houston Rockets at the Paycom Center on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO THE SHOW TONIGHT. I’M BRIAN KEATING ALONGSIDE HANNAH HOOVER. THIS IS THE KOCO THUNDER PREGAME SHOW BEFORE THUNDER ROCKETS ON THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. LET’S DO IT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE. WE’VE HAD THIS ONE CIRCLED FOR A WHILE. HAD THIS ONE CIRCLED FOR A THEY PLAYED IN THE SEASON OPENER WHICH OKLAHOMA CITY WON. THEY PLAYED ABOUT A MONTH AGO IN HOUSTON, WHICH OKLAHOMA CITY WON. I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF STORYLINES WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS ONE, BUT HERE YOU GO. HERE’S THE INFO FOR THE GAME TODAY. 130 IT IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH MEANS AN HOUR FROM NOW AT THE PAYCOM CENTER, IT’S THUNDER ROCKETS. KEVIN DURANT’S BACK. GILGEOUS ALEXANDER IS NOT PLAYING JARED MCCAIN. MAYBE HE’LL MAKE HIS DEBUT. WE’LL GET TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I THINK THESE ARE OUR TOP HEADLINES AS WE LOOK AT THE THUNDER ROCKETS GAME TODAY AT THE PAYCOM CENTER. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AFTERNOON? I REALLY AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT JARED MCCAIN, HOW MUCH HE’S INVOLVED IN THIS GAME. WE’LL SEE. YOU KNOW SHAY OUT. THAT’S A HUGE HEADLINE. JARED MCCAIN NOW WITH THE TEAM. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE’LL GET TO AS WE DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER, KATIE, BACK IN THE BUILDING. AND YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT. WE TRIED NOT TO MAKE IT A BIG THING ON RING NIGHT GUYS, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ABOUT KATIE, BUT NOW WE CAN KIND OF SAY, HEY, HE’S BACK JUST FOR A LITTLE, YOU KNOW? HEY, TIP OF THE HAT HERE. I THINK OVER THE NEXT 30 GAMES, WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER TEAM. THEY GOT A BUNCH OF INJURIES. WE’LL GET TO THOSE AS WELL. THUNDER FIVE AND FIVE IN THEIR LAST TEN GAMES. IT WOULD BE A BIG WIN IF THEY COULD GET IT TODAY. WITH 30 GAMES LEFT TO GO. LET’S START WITH I THINK THE NUMBER ONE HEADLINE OF THE GAME IS THE INJURY TO SHAE GILGEOUS ALEXANDER. HE’S OUT FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FOUR GAMES THROUGH THE ALL-STAR BREAK WITH A STRAINED ABDOMINAL SITUATION. YOUR LEVEL OF CONCERN ABOUT SHAE GILGEOUS ALEXANDER I DON’T HAVE A HUGE LEVEL OF CONCERN FOR SHAE. AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS THE REASON HE HAS BEEN THE GUY THEY DEPEND ON 20 PLUS GAMES EVERY TIME 20, 30, 40. HE’S BEEN CHASING HISTORY A LITTLE BIT WITH WILT CHAMBERLAIN IF YOU WILL. AND SO THE PRESSURE’S ALWAYS BEEN ON. SHAE. EVENTUALLY HE WAS GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT BANGED UP. AND I THINK IT’S NOTHING MORE THAN THAT. SO HAVING TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ALL STAR BREAK TO SEE HIM REEVALUATED, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES SENSE WHY HE NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK. TAKE THE TAKE THIS TIME AND GET BACK TO HEALTH. I THINK YOU’RE 100% RIGHT. AS LONG AS YOU TELL ME THAT IN A MONTH, SHANE’S GOING TO BE HEALTHY AND READY TO GO THEN. THEN I GOT NO WORRIES AT ALL. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WITH INJURIES. YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT THE MVP. YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT THE THUNDER’S ABILITY TO TRY TO WIN ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP. IF SHAY’S HEALTHY, EVERYTHING’S GOING TO BE FINE. HIS NUMBERS ARE OFF THE CHARTS. UNBELIEVABLE. YOU TALK ABOUT THE 20 POINT STREAK CHASING DOWN WILT CHAMBERLAIN. HE’S BEEN SENSATIONAL. THE INTERESTING THING IS HE’S BEEN KIND OF THE ONE CONSTANT ON THIS TEAM. WITH SO MANY GUYS IN AND OUT OF THE LINEUP. SO YOU TELL ME. SHAY IS GOING TO BE HEALTHY IN A MONTH. I’M COOL WITH THAT. MARK DAIGNEAULT YESTERDAY WAS ASKED ABOUT THE INJURY AND SGA MOVING FORWARD. HERE’S THE HEAD COACH OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. SINCE HE’S HEARD. YEAH, I MEAN, HE SHOULD TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL REPRIEVE. PHYSICAL REPRIEVE THAT THE INJURY WILL GIVE HIM. HE’D RATHER PLAY. WE’D RATHER HIM PLAY THIS. THIS ISN’T THE BEST THING, BUT IT’S THE SITUATION THAT HE’S IN AND WE’RE IN AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAXIMIZE ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN WHEN THEY’RE NOT NET POSITIVE. SO LOOK, THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE THIS MOVING FORWARD. BUT AGAIN THEY DON’T LOOK CONCERNED ABOUT SHAY. I’M NOT GOING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT SHAY. IF THAT CHANGES THEN THEN WE’LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. I THINK MAXIMIZING THE CIRCUMSTANCES IS TRADING FOR. THERE YOU GO. THAT’S WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT. YOU KNOW, TO GET A SHARPSHOOTER IN THERE WHO WAS ON TRACK TO BECOME ROOKIE OF THE YEAR JUST LAST SEASON AND GOT INJURED. AND NOW HE’S BACK IN A PLACE WHERE HE COULD REALLY CONTRIBUTE. I THINK HE WASN’T ABLE TO DO THAT IN HIS LAST PLACE WITH THE SIXERS. RIGHT. SO NOW HE’S IN A POSITION WHERE THEY’RE GOING TO NEED HIM, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS LITTLE STINT. WE’RE NOT SURE HOW MUCH THEY’RE GOING TO RELY ON HIM, BECAUSE IT’S A LOT TO ASK OUT OF A GUY TO COME IN HERE AND BE THE HERO. AND I DON’T THINK THE THUNDER NEED HIM TO BE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY GREAT PIECES ON THEIR TEAM. THAT’S NOT A DISRESPECT TO THE GUYS THEY ALREADY HAVE, BECAUSE LOOK, THEY’RE STACKED. SO I THINK IT’S A GOOD SIGN TODAY THAT SO MANY GUYS ARE, YOU KNOW, AT HEALTH AND BACK IN THE LINEUP TO PLAY THE ROCKETS. BUT JARED MCCAIN IS DEFINITELY IMPRESSIVE. AND SOMEONE THAT THE THUNDER ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. HE CAN HANDLE THE BALL. BALL CREATOR SHOT CREATOR. GOOD SHOOTER WHO WAS INTRODUCED WITH OKC YESTERDAY. I’VE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. YOU KNOW, I THINK I’M A FIRM BELIEVER IN EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. AND I’VE GONE THROUGH THE HIGHS AND LOWS AND THERE’S GOING TO BE MORE TO COME. WHETHER IT’S RELIEF AND SHOOTING, WHETHER IT’S IN REALLY ANYTHING THE COACH WANTS. I THINK THAT’S THAT’S THE MAIN THING ME AND COACH HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS JUST HE FEELS LIKE I CAN FIT IN WITH THIS TEAM AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHATEVER IT IS I’M WILLING TO DO, AND I’M JUST EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT. JARED MCCAIN INTRODUCED WITH OKC. WE WILL SEE HOW MUCH HE DOES PLAY. I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF HE DOESN’T MAKE HIS DEBUT TODAY. WE’LL WAIT AND SEE AT SOME POINT. AT 230 AT THE PAYCOM CENTER. OBVIOUSLY, THE OTHER PART OF THIS STORY. KEVIN DURANT COMES BACK TO OKLAHOMA CITY. HE’S BEEN GONE FROM OKC ALMOST TEN YEARS NOW, WHICH IS A LONG TIME. PEOPLE STILL HAVE VERY STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT KEVIN DURANT. HE WILL GET NO FAVORS AND NO LOVE FOR MOST OF THE THUNDER FAITHFUL TODAY. HE CAN STILL DO IT AT A HIGH LEVEL, EVEN NEARING 40 YEARS OLD. THAT WAS A 30 POINT GAME ON YOUR SCREEN AGAINST CHARLOTTE HORNETS. YOU JUST HAD. SO LOOK I DON’T KNOW. KEVIN DURANT IS STILL A BIG DEAL. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO TO WATCH HIM AND SEE WHAT HE CAN DO. BUT I THINK THIS GAME IS A LITTLE LESS ABOUT KEVIN DURANT, A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE ROCKETS. AND THEY CAME OFF TO SUCH A HEART. A HOT START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON. A LOT OF DREAMS AND AMBITIONS, AND I THINK THIS GAME COULD BE A BIG TEST FOR THEM TO SEE JUST HOW GOOD THEY ARE, BECAUSE, LOOK, IF THEY LOSE TO OKC WITHOUT SHEA TODAY, WHICH IS A POSSIBILITY, I WOULD SAY A BIG ONE THAT DOESN’T LOOK GOOD FOR THE ROCKETS. IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY, THE THUNDER WOULD PLAY THE ROCKETS IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS OR COULD POTENTIALLY PLAY THEM IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS. SO IT’S A POTENTIAL PLAYOFF MATCHUP. I DO WANT TO LOOK BACK A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, BECAUSE THIS WILL BE GAME NUMBER TWO WITHOUT SHEA, GILDAS, ALEXANDER. WITH THE INJURY AND A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO WEDNESDAY THEY PLAYED THE SPURS. AND I’LL TELL YOU WHAT, MOST PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING MYSELF, GAVE THEM ZERO CHANCE TO GO DOWN THERE AND COMPETE. YEAH, THEY DID COMPETE. THEY PLAYED VERY HARD. LOOK, I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES A BARE MINIMUM, THEY PLAYED REALLY HARD AND THEY KEPT IT CLOSE. VICTORY. MORAL VICTORIES IN PRO SPORTS WITH A TEAM TRYING TO WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP DOESN’T REALLY EXIST, BUT THEY GAVE THEMSELVES A CHANCE. AND I THINK A LOT OF THOSE BENCH GUYS GOT OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY THAT YOU DIDN’T NECESSARILY EXPECT. THAT WAS YOUR STARTING LINEUP, THAT THAT STARTING LINEUP IS NOT BEATING A LOT OF TEAMS IN THE NBA. FROM JWILL 40 MINUTES. MY GOODNESS. BUT THEY HUNG IN THERE, GAVE THEMSELVES A CHANCE TO COMPETE. AND I THINK IT DOES. HAVE TO SHOW A LEVEL ABOUT WHAT THIS TEAM IS ABOUT. DOESN’T MATTER WHO’S IN AND WHO’S OUT OR WHAT HIGH LEVEL THAT THEY CAN PLAY AS FAR AS THEIR CEILING, THEY WILL PLAY HARD AND THEY’LL LEAVE IT OUT ON THE FLOOR. AND AFTER THE GAME, LOOK, NO MORAL VICTORIES, BUT I THINK THEY WERE PLEASED WITH THE WAY THAT THEY PLAYED. REGARDLESS OF WHO’S PLAYING OR WHO WE’RE PLAYING AGAINST, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO OUT THERE AND COMPETE, HAVE THE EFFORT, DO THE RIGHT THINGS. AND I FEEL LIKE WITH WHOEVER WE HAD ON THE COURT, WE STUCK TO WHAT WE DO BEST AND IT’S GOING OUT THERE PLAYING HARD, STICKING TO OUR PRINCIPLES. I’M SUPER PROUD OF EVERYBODY THAT PLAYED TONIGHT. ALL THE EIGHT. YEAH, ALL EIGHT OF THE GUYS, MAN. EVERYBODY STEPPED UP AND. YOU KNOW LOSING IS TOUGH. BUT YOU KNOW WHEN YOU LOSE IN THIS FASHION WITH LIKE GIVING YOURSELF A CHANCE YOU’LL TAKE THAT ANY DAY. AGAIN I THINK IT SHOWS WHO THIS TEAM IS AND THE WAY THAT THEY COMPETE. I THINK COMPETE IS THE RIGHT THING. THEY WENT DOWN THERE, COMPETED, COMPETED AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL. INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUCH A STORY OF THIS TEAM. WHETHER IT’S JALEN WILLIAMS MISSING THE FIRST 19 GAMES AND THEN COMING BACK. THESE ARE THE GUYS THAT ARE OUT OF THE LINEUP TODAY. YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT TWO ALL STARS SHEA GILGEOUS, ALEXANDER, JALEN WILLIAMS AJ MITCHELL WAS KIND OF ON THE SHORT LIST FOR SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR. HE’S OUT AS WELL. THOSE ARE YOUR BALL CREATORS. MAYBE IT DOES OPEN UP AN OPPORTUNITY FOR JARED MCKAY. BUT INJURIES THROUGHOUT SO MUCH OF THIS SEASON AND THEN THEY’RE OBVIOUSLY A BIG STORY TODAY. YEAH I TALKED TO ESPN ANALYST DAVE PASH AHEAD OF THE GAME. HE’S CALLING THE GAME TO JUST ASK HIM WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THE THUNDER. TALK ABOUT THE TEAM HEALTH. AND ARE YOU CONCERNED. HERE’S PASH. JALEN WILLIAMS WRIST OKAY. OBVIOUSLY THE SHEA SITUATION. BUT AGAIN I THINK THIS GROUP HAS BEEN THROUGH IT BEFORE. NOW THEY KNOW WHAT IT TAKES BEING HEALTHY GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS IS WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT. AND THEY WEREN’T EVEN HEALTHY LAST YEAR. I MEAN YOU THINK ABOUT THE GAMES THAT HOLMGREN AND HARTENSTEIN PLAYED TOGETHER. IT WASN’T A WHOLE LOT. THEY’RE THE TEAM TO BEAT. NOW. IF GILGEOUS ALEXANDER HAS A SERIOUS INJURY, MAYBE IT’S DIFFERENT, BUT I STILL FEEL LIKE REGARDLESS OF WHO IS OUT THERE, I THINK AS LONG AS SHAY AND CHET HOLMGREN ARE OUT THERE AND JALEN WILLIAMS, THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN. BRYAN KEATING YOU AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE THERE BECAUSE YOU’RE SAYING, HEY, LOOK, IF SHAY IS BACK IN A MONTH, WE’RE GOING TO BE SOLID. THE THUNDER WILL BE THE TEAM TO BEAT. AND THAT’S HOW HE FELT AS WELL. IT’S A GREAT COMPLIMENT YOU TELLING ME THAT I’M ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE DAVE PASH IS ONE OF THE BEST, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HIM CALLING THE GAME TODAY. STAY WITH US HERE ON THE KOCO THUNDER PREGAME SHOW BEFORE THUNDER ROCKETS AT 230 AT THE PAYCOM CENTER. TALKING TO CHET HOLMGREN, THE NEWEST ALL STAR, ONE ON ONE HANNAH HOOVER. I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOUR PIECE. TH
OKC looks to Houston to reignite momentum
The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Houston Rockets at the Paycom Center on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
Updated: 2:03 PM CST Feb 7, 2026
The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Houston Rockets at the Paycom Center on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.KOCO 5 Sports Director Bryan Keating and Hannah Hoover are breaking down OKC’s chances against Houston ahead of the game.Open the video player above to watch the pregame show and be sure to watch the game live on KOCO 5. Top HeadlinesMore bling for your buck? How lab-grown diamonds are changing the engagement gameIntegris Health and United Healthcare dispute leaves patients worried in Oklahoma CityOklahoma City police investigate double homicide in northwest OKCCall for Oklahoma medical marijuana recall sparks concern amongst growersWhy Mariah Carey was chosen to perform at the Olympic Opening Ceremony
OKLAHOMA CITY —
The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Houston Rockets at the Paycom Center on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
KOCO 5 Sports Director Bryan Keating and Hannah Hoover are breaking down OKC’s chances against Houston ahead of the game.
Open the video player above to watch the pregame show and be sure to watch the game live on KOCO 5.
Top Headlines