![\"KOCO](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/koco.png\")
<\/p>\nOKC looks to Houston to reignite momentum<\/p>\n
The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Houston Rockets at the Paycom Center on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEVERYBODY, WELCOME TO THE SHOW TONIGHT. I\u2019M BRIAN KEATING ALONGSIDE HANNAH HOOVER. THIS IS THE KOCO THUNDER PREGAME SHOW BEFORE THUNDER ROCKETS ON THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. LET\u2019S DO IT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE. WE\u2019VE 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\u2019S A LOT OF STORYLINES WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS ONE, BUT HERE YOU GO. HERE\u2019S THE INFO FOR THE GAME TODAY. 130 IT IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH MEANS AN HOUR FROM NOW AT THE PAYCOM CENTER, IT\u2019S THUNDER ROCKETS. KEVIN DURANT\u2019S BACK. GILGEOUS ALEXANDER IS NOT PLAYING JARED MCCAIN. MAYBE HE\u2019LL MAKE HIS DEBUT. WE\u2019LL 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\u2019RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AFTERNOON? I REALLY AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT JARED MCCAIN, HOW MUCH HE\u2019S INVOLVED IN THIS GAME. WE\u2019LL SEE. YOU KNOW SHAY OUT. THAT\u2019S A HUGE HEADLINE. JARED MCCAIN NOW WITH THE TEAM. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE\u2019LL 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\u2019S BACK JUST FOR A LITTLE, YOU KNOW? HEY, TIP OF THE HAT HERE. I THINK OVER THE NEXT 30 GAMES, WE\u2019RE GOING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER TEAM. THEY GOT A BUNCH OF INJURIES. WE\u2019LL 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\u2019S START WITH I THINK THE NUMBER ONE HEADLINE OF THE GAME IS THE INJURY TO SHAE GILGEOUS ALEXANDER. HE\u2019S 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\u2019T 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\u2019S BEEN CHASING HISTORY A LITTLE BIT WITH WILT CHAMBERLAIN IF YOU WILL. AND SO THE PRESSURE\u2019S ALWAYS BEEN ON. SHAE. EVENTUALLY HE WAS GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT BANGED UP. AND I THINK IT\u2019S 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\u2019RE 100% RIGHT. AS LONG AS YOU TELL ME THAT IN A MONTH, SHANE\u2019S GOING TO BE HEALTHY AND READY TO GO THEN. THEN I GOT NO WORRIES AT ALL. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WITH INJURIES. YOU\u2019RE TALKING ABOUT THE MVP. YOU\u2019RE TALKING ABOUT THE THUNDER\u2019S ABILITY TO TRY TO WIN ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP. IF SHAY\u2019S HEALTHY, EVERYTHING\u2019S GOING TO BE FINE. HIS NUMBERS ARE OFF THE CHARTS. UNBELIEVABLE. YOU TALK ABOUT THE 20 POINT STREAK CHASING DOWN WILT CHAMBERLAIN. HE\u2019S BEEN SENSATIONAL. THE INTERESTING THING IS HE\u2019S 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\u2019M COOL WITH THAT. MARK DAIGNEAULT YESTERDAY WAS ASKED ABOUT THE INJURY AND SGA MOVING FORWARD. HERE\u2019S THE HEAD COACH OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. SINCE HE\u2019S HEARD. YEAH, I MEAN, HE SHOULD TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL REPRIEVE. PHYSICAL REPRIEVE THAT THE INJURY WILL GIVE HIM. HE\u2019D RATHER PLAY. WE\u2019D RATHER HIM PLAY THIS. THIS ISN\u2019T THE BEST THING, BUT IT\u2019S THE SITUATION THAT HE\u2019S IN AND WE\u2019RE IN AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAXIMIZE ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN WHEN THEY\u2019RE NOT NET POSITIVE. SO LOOK, THEY\u2019RE GOING TO TAKE THIS MOVING FORWARD. BUT AGAIN THEY DON\u2019T LOOK CONCERNED ABOUT SHAY. I\u2019M NOT GOING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT SHAY. IF THAT CHANGES THEN THEN WE\u2019LL SEE HOW THAT GOES. I THINK MAXIMIZING THE CIRCUMSTANCES IS TRADING FOR. THERE YOU GO. THAT\u2019S 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\u2019S BACK IN A PLACE WHERE HE COULD REALLY CONTRIBUTE. I THINK HE WASN\u2019T ABLE TO DO THAT IN HIS LAST PLACE WITH THE SIXERS. RIGHT. SO NOW HE\u2019S IN A POSITION WHERE THEY\u2019RE GOING TO NEED HIM, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS LITTLE STINT. WE\u2019RE NOT SURE HOW MUCH THEY\u2019RE GOING TO RELY ON HIM, BECAUSE IT\u2019S A LOT TO ASK OUT OF A GUY TO COME IN HERE AND BE THE HERO. AND I DON\u2019T THINK THE THUNDER NEED HIM TO BE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY GREAT PIECES ON THEIR TEAM. THAT\u2019S NOT A DISRESPECT TO THE GUYS THEY ALREADY HAVE, BECAUSE LOOK, THEY\u2019RE STACKED. SO I THINK IT\u2019S 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\u2019VE HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. YOU KNOW, I THINK I\u2019M A FIRM BELIEVER IN EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. AND I\u2019VE GONE THROUGH THE HIGHS AND LOWS AND THERE\u2019S GOING TO BE MORE TO COME. WHETHER IT\u2019S RELIEF AND SHOOTING, WHETHER IT\u2019S IN REALLY ANYTHING THE COACH WANTS. I THINK THAT\u2019S THAT\u2019S 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\u2019M WILLING TO DO, AND I\u2019M 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\u2019T MAKE HIS DEBUT TODAY. WE\u2019LL 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\u2019S 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\u2019T 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\u2019T 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\u2019S 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\u2019LL 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\u2019T REALLY EXIST, BUT THEY GAVE THEMSELVES A CHANCE. AND I THINK A LOT OF THOSE BENCH GUYS GOT OPPORTUNITIES TO PLAY THAT YOU DIDN\u2019T 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\u2019T MATTER WHO\u2019S IN AND WHO\u2019S OUT OR WHAT HIGH LEVEL THAT THEY CAN PLAY AS FAR AS THEIR CEILING, THEY WILL PLAY HARD AND THEY\u2019LL 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\u2019S PLAYING OR WHO WE\u2019RE 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\u2019S GOING OUT THERE PLAYING HARD, STICKING TO OUR PRINCIPLES. I\u2019M 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\u2019LL 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\u2019S JALEN WILLIAMS MISSING THE FIRST 19 GAMES AND THEN COMING BACK. THESE ARE THE GUYS THAT ARE OUT OF THE LINEUP TODAY. YOU\u2019RE 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\u2019S 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\u2019RE OBVIOUSLY A BIG STORY TODAY. YEAH I TALKED TO ESPN ANALYST DAVE PASH AHEAD OF THE GAME. HE\u2019S 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\u2019S 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\u2019S MOST IMPORTANT. AND THEY WEREN\u2019T EVEN HEALTHY LAST YEAR. I MEAN YOU THINK ABOUT THE GAMES THAT HOLMGREN AND HARTENSTEIN PLAYED TOGETHER. IT WASN\u2019T A WHOLE LOT. THEY\u2019RE THE TEAM TO BEAT. NOW. IF GILGEOUS ALEXANDER HAS A SERIOUS INJURY, MAYBE IT\u2019S 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\u2019RE SAYING, HEY, LOOK, IF SHAY IS BACK IN A MONTH, WE\u2019RE GOING TO BE SOLID. THE THUNDER WILL BE THE TEAM TO BEAT. AND THAT\u2019S HOW HE FELT AS WELL. IT\u2019S A GREAT COMPLIMENT YOU TELLING ME THAT I\u2019M 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\u2019T WAIT TO SEE YOUR PIECE. TH\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
OKC looks to Houston to reignite momentum<\/p>\n
The Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Houston Rockets at the Paycom Center on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tUpdated: 2:03 PM CST Feb 7, 2026\n\t\t<\/p>\n