Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets

Oklahoma City came out of its Oct. 15 preseason game healthy, Mark Daigneault said. With Chet Holmgren and J-Will out, the Thunder tried a big-to-big action: "We've never worked on it. I don't know if you could tell." It showed what they'd need to work on if they explore it.

Ime Udoka doesn't expect Marcus Smart's preseason edge over Reed Sheppard to last into the regular season: the two "complement each other and can play together." Smart, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason are a defensive unit the Rockets coach keeps "in our back pocket."

"I got more offensive responsibility in those lineups." Amen Thompson says his role grows when the Rockets go to second-unit groups with Tari Eason and Marcus Smart, because he trusts those two to handle the defensive matchups.

Worst in the league in the last 6 seconds of the shot clock, good in the first 6: Ime Udoka says the Rockets aim to play faster and take the first quality shot. They also want more threes, having shot well on few attempts, and passes out to shooters over forced putbacks.