The NBA opened the doors to the new 2025 season with a ceremonial celebration honoring the Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship title: a banner was raised at the Paycom Center, players received their championship rings, and fans greeted the season’s start with excitement. After that, two tense games on the court set the tone for the months of play.

The first game went to double overtime: the Thunder toppled the revamped Houston Rockets, 125-124. In California, the Lakers hosted the Golden State Warriors at home and fell 109-119, left without their star LeBron James due to an injury.

Last season’s championship marked the culmination of years of work for the Thunder – thanks to a successful drafting policy and lucrative trades. Before the home opener, players from last season were honored by the fans, receiving rings from team owner Clay Bennett; most spectators applauded in tribute.

Opening Night Recap and Early Season Signals

Seeing the banner up there was cool, knowing it would stay there forever. A special night.

– Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

After the celebrations, defending the title began. Rumors say Durant, who is now 37, signed a two-year extension worth $90 million with the team on Sunday, underscoring the Rockets’ intent to take a serious step this season.

Injuries spared neither side: in the final, Durant, who scored 23 points in 47 minutes, told reporters that he blamed himself for the defeat and for the missed free throws – “I missed the free throws, and at the end I committed a foul.”

I missed the free throws, and at the end I fouled.

– Durant

The season’s start continued in the late game: at Crypto.com Arena, the Warriors and Lakers met. The Lakers played without LeBron James due to sciatic pain, and Luka Dončić led LA’s attack with an impressive line – 43 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block – after his high-profile move to Los Angeles last season in a blockbuster trade. But that wasn’t enough for a victory: Jimmy Butler’s 31 points and Stephen Curry’s 23 points gave the Warriors a 119-109 win.

The teams were fairly even in the first half – 55-54 in favor of the Lakers, but the “Golden Team” made the decisive push early in the second half with a 19-4 run, giving them a 17-point lead. Luka Dončić, after the game, stressed that there was no need to panic, and fans saw a vivid battle on both ends of the court.

This Opening Monday brought exceptionally high energy and spectacle to the NBA: two tense games opened the 2025 season, laying the groundwork for many of the season’s storylines.