October 21, 2025 • 8 mins
Turning to the hardwood, the NBA 2025-26 season is now upon us as the Houston Rockets open the season this evening against the current NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. With a huge anticipation behind the start of the season, specifically here in Houston with the addition of Kevin Durant this offseason, Houston sports reporter from the Chron.com, Michael Shapiro joins Dan and Chris ahead of tonight's opening night with insight following the moves this offseason and what to expect from our Houston Rockets rolling into the 2025-26 season and tonight's game.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But we need Michael Shapiro from cron dot com and
he's going to back us up on that because he's
going to join us right now from there in Okay, See, Mike,
appreciate it, man. I mean, just you know, coming into
this season, I've got to believe you know, since you've
been covering sports in this town. In terms of the Rockets,
there was a lot of pomp and circumstance heading in
the last season. But I mean fair to say this
(00:21):
is probably the most build up for a season that
you've seen during your time here.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, I mean, this is certainly and obviously the most
highly anticipated season since the James Harden rebuild, probably perhaps
even more anticipated season than the first year of James
Harden and Chris Paul together. So it's gonna be a
fun time. You got a young rising core, obviously, you
have a living legend and Kevin Durant trying to quote
his legacy here with the title twenty of storylines, twenty
of intriguing players, and it all starts tonight in Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
What did you make of the I don't know if
i'd even call it a point guard experiment, but how
they handled that in the preseason. I mean, obviously, you
go Florida in the preseason, wins don't really matter, but
that's still pretty impressive. But obviously we saw some Aman
Thompson at at point, we saw a lot of Reed Shepherd.
(01:09):
I assume we'll see Reed Shepherd start there tonight. But
what did you make of how they handled that throughout
the preseason in the absence of Fred van Vliet.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
We kind of saw the blueprint that ema Udoka is
going to want to use. Right It's going to be
a men. Thompson is a starting point guard. Read Shepherd
likely off the bench, is kind of a secondary ball handler,
and a lot of shen Hubb, a bunch of Alper
and shen Dune in the post top of the key
dictating the action. The Rockets right now really do not
deploy a traditional point guard at all. I think they
(01:38):
think they have something of a point center in alperh
and Shendune. How he dictates the offense is going to
be one of the keys of the year, and I
think he could average something like six seven plus assist
this year and have an even better campaign than last
year's breakout All Star season.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Michael Shapiro again Cron dot Com up there and okse
covering the Rockets and thunder tonight join us for a
few minutes.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I mean, you know, Fred van Vliet goes down, and
I mean that's a huge bummer for this team because
you know what he brings from an offensive and defensive
perspective in terms of you know, getting you into your sets.
But I mean just expand on a little bit further.
I mean with you know, the way that they're going
to as you even mentioned, you know, use alprin Shingoon,
but also too, I mean could the potential step forward
(02:18):
we can see this year out of Reach Shepherd.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah, I think Reach Shepherd is kind of this pivot
and pivotal player for the Rockets this season. He is
going to sink or swim frankly if he may, Udoka
he may. Is not a guy who kind of wants
to trot youngsters out there unless they're successful players. Last
year we saw scant scant minute for Read Shepherd. But
the Rockets and Reed kind of insists he's a more confident, bigger, stronger,
different guy. Hopefully the Rockets think that Reach Shepherd can
(02:43):
be a guy that soaks up what twenty plus twenty
five minutes per game as point guard. But if it
doesn't go all that, well, don't start to see Reach
Shepherd get a really long leash share for Udoka. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
The thing that worries me just a little bit about
the stain Michael, is we know how good Kevin Durant is,
and we expect him to come in and be that
points later. I think I saw the over under Vegas
totals yesterday, or you know who's gonna be the Rockets
leading scorer? Overwhelmingly it was Kevin Durant, And what do
you think you'd he'll average twenty five and a half points.
I think was the over under on points per game
(03:13):
this season, and obviously that's an upgrade. Jalen Green was
your leading scorer last year twenty one points per game.
But the problem is you got to manage minutes with
Kevin Durant a minute or warkload at least, and so
we expect he's gonna get some days off as the
season goes on, and back to backs and that sort
of thing. But I just worry because you'll lose Fred
van Vliet presumably for most of the season. I found
(03:35):
all the season you'll lose Dylan Brooks in the trade.
You lose Jalen Green in the trade. I almost look
it as like, aren't you kind of worse year over
year on those nights where Kevin Durant isn't playing because
you you have less depth than you had a year ago.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Sure, I think on the nights where Katie plays and
we don't quite know the rest plan yet for Kevin Durant,
if there will even be one, yeah, the Rockets will
be a little short handed. I'm still of the opinion
that Jalen Green, while a high volume score, was not
the most efficient or really a plus player for a
lot of the season last year for the Rockets. So
I think the Rocket's going to be just fine even
with kind of a more minutes managed Kevin Durant. You
(04:14):
got Dorian Cinny Smith, who they hope will come back.
Steven Adams is back, quin Capella brings more minutes off
the bench. It's kind of a funky rotation, right. I
don't know if there's a single legitimate point guard on
the roster and set outside of Aaron Holliday, but I
think it's a roster emay Udoka really likes. I don't
think he's too concerned about the depth he has right now.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
And then, I mean, we haven't talked much about it,
but the starting five they're going to roll out Emai
Udoka letting everybody know about it yesterday, and I mean,
the shortest guy you're going to have out there is
a Men Thompson at six'. Seven for the longest time
it was trying to find ways to offset what The
Golden State warriors. Did is all this length is This
let's kind of try to thunderproof this thing as much as.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Possible, Yeah i'll tell you what. Fellas Emay udoka loves
The Dumble big so much you don't get that many
smile from. Him but when he kind of brought up
other teams trying to be a copycat of The Double
big this, weekend he led out a, big wide. SMILE
i think he likes budgeting teams on the. GLASS i
think he likes protecting the. Paint and as you mentioned pretty,
smartly it's a thunder specific starting. LINEUP i think tonight
(05:15):
they Have Isaiah hartenstein as well As Chet. Holmgren The
rockets counter that With Steven adams And albern Sheng. GUN
i would say the double big is not a lineup
we're going to see for fifty sixty plus games as.
STARTERS i would say more thirty ish twenty five ish
games as my. GUEST i think the double big is
a specific matchup That email will, deploy not a permanent.
ONE i think we'll see more traditional starting lineups at
(05:37):
some point In.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
November talk With Michael shapirocron dot. Com he's up, there,
okay see ahead of the season opener tonight you can
hear right here On Sports talk seven out of your
home for The rockets and Mikel WHEN i Talk, SHANGUN
i Talk, Thompson which of the? Two we expect both
those guys to take another step this? Year we Saw
shangoon as An All. STAR i, mean he seems to
be blossoming into into what he's going to. Be i'm
(05:59):
And thompson still just scratching the, surface it feels. Like
but is it fair to expect both those guys to
take another step forward this year in their?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Development one hundred. PERCENT i think The rockets to really
be a championship team need An ALL nba Level Alpern
shechngun and An all star level of Men, thompson and
here's the good news for The. ROCKETS i think with
Sheng gun, specifically we saw that a lot last. Year
he did struggle in The Golden State, series missed a
lot of. BUNNIES i thought it was uncharacteristic series for.
(06:26):
HIM i think he's one of the most skilled big.
Men let's scratch, that one of the most skilled players
in all of basketball and. Men thompson is one of
the most athletic players in all of. Basketball AND i
know ament a little. Bit he's a very heady. Dude
he's a very focused guy for all to talk about
his athletic, gifts his, focus his, demeanor the way he
ingests the. Game it's not as, impressive but it almost
is as. IMPRESSIVE i think those two guys are the
(06:48):
pivot players for The, rockets and two guys in The
rockets to feel will represent the franchise well for years
to come.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Again Michael shapirocron Dot com joining us here on the
seven Ninety Morning. Show he's up there in Ok see
For Rockets thunder opening of THE nba. Season what's your
ceiling this?
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Year?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Michael for this team Health health included what's your ceiling
for This rockets team in The Western.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Conference people might think being a bit of a homer,
HERE i will, say have not even From. HOUSTON i
think championship expectations are not unfair at all for This rockets.
Group why Would Kevin durant come here if not to
win a. Championship this roster won fifty games last. Year
they replaced a pretty middling player In Jalen green, with
AS i, said a hall of famer bona fide hall
(07:29):
of famer In Kevin. DURANT i think it all comes
down To kadi's. Health we have a Healthy Kevin durant championship,
contender no Healthy Kevin durant uphill. BATTLE i Think rockets
fans not to be too. Excited as long As kats
on the, flour this will be a fifty plus win.
Team this will be near the top of The. West
and then we'll see what happens In may And. June
let's get.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Into this game. Tonight, obviously the thunder coming off, win
the winning the. Championship they're phil really good about. Themselves
shake gild just establishing, himself as you, know AN mvp
and one of the best, players if not the best
player in The. League what do The rockets have to?
Do how do you defend these? GUYS i, mean emotions
are gonna be riding high with them celebrating their championship.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
There let's expect a rock, fight a bit of a slugfest.
TONIGHT i think that's the way The rockets want to. Play,
heck that's the way the thunder kind of want to.
PLAY i think The rockets will see pretty solid results
with the double. BIG i think they'll have some turnover
problems forced By Oklahoma. CITY i think This rockets offense
might be a bit of a slog in the first
couple of weeks of this. Season it'll be a lot
(08:30):
better In, January February. March i'll say something Like oka
see one oh one ninety six. Tonight that feels about.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Right, well it's gonna be a fun one and it
worked out well a couple of, times at least last
year for The rockets against the world. Champs, Michael, HEY
i appreciate. It have a good cover tonight up, there and,
okay see and we'll see At Toyota center here pretty.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Soon happy basketball, Season thanks, guys
But we need Michael Shapiro from cron dot com and
he's going to back us up on that because he's
going to join us right now from there in Okay, See, Mike,
appreciate it, man. I mean, just you know, coming into
this season, I've got to believe you know, since you've
been covering sports in this town. In terms of the Rockets,
there was a lot of pomp and circumstance heading in
the last season. But I mean fair to say this
(00:21):
is probably the most build up for a season that
you've seen during your time here.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, I mean, this is certainly and obviously the most
highly anticipated season since the James Harden rebuild, probably perhaps
even more anticipated season than the first year of James
Harden and Chris Paul together. So it's gonna be a
fun time. You got a young rising core, obviously, you
have a living legend and Kevin Durant trying to quote
his legacy here with the title twenty of storylines, twenty
of intriguing players, and it all starts tonight in Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
What did you make of the I don't know if
i'd even call it a point guard experiment, but how
they handled that in the preseason. I mean, obviously, you
go Florida in the preseason, wins don't really matter, but
that's still pretty impressive. But obviously we saw some Aman
Thompson at at point, we saw a lot of Reed Shepherd.
(01:09):
I assume we'll see Reed Shepherd start there tonight. But
what did you make of how they handled that throughout
the preseason in the absence of Fred van Vliet.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
We kind of saw the blueprint that ema Udoka is
going to want to use. Right It's going to be
a men. Thompson is a starting point guard. Read Shepherd
likely off the bench, is kind of a secondary ball handler,
and a lot of shen Hubb, a bunch of Alper
and shen Dune in the post top of the key
dictating the action. The Rockets right now really do not
deploy a traditional point guard at all. I think they
(01:38):
think they have something of a point center in alperh
and Shendune. How he dictates the offense is going to
be one of the keys of the year, and I
think he could average something like six seven plus assist
this year and have an even better campaign than last
year's breakout All Star season.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Michael Shapiro again Cron dot Com up there and okse
covering the Rockets and thunder tonight join us for a
few minutes.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
And that's the thing.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I mean, you know, Fred van Vliet goes down, and
I mean that's a huge bummer for this team because
you know what he brings from an offensive and defensive
perspective in terms of you know, getting you into your sets.
But I mean just expand on a little bit further.
I mean with you know, the way that they're going
to as you even mentioned, you know, use alprin Shingoon,
but also too, I mean could the potential step forward
(02:18):
we can see this year out of Reach Shepherd.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah, I think Reach Shepherd is kind of this pivot
and pivotal player for the Rockets this season. He is
going to sink or swim frankly if he may, Udoka
he may. Is not a guy who kind of wants
to trot youngsters out there unless they're successful players. Last
year we saw scant scant minute for Read Shepherd. But
the Rockets and Reed kind of insists he's a more confident, bigger, stronger,
different guy. Hopefully the Rockets think that Reach Shepherd can
(02:43):
be a guy that soaks up what twenty plus twenty
five minutes per game as point guard. But if it
doesn't go all that, well, don't start to see Reach
Shepherd get a really long leash share for Udoka. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
The thing that worries me just a little bit about
the stain Michael, is we know how good Kevin Durant is,
and we expect him to come in and be that
points later. I think I saw the over under Vegas
totals yesterday, or you know who's gonna be the Rockets
leading scorer? Overwhelmingly it was Kevin Durant, And what do
you think you'd he'll average twenty five and a half points.
I think was the over under on points per game
(03:13):
this season, and obviously that's an upgrade. Jalen Green was
your leading scorer last year twenty one points per game.
But the problem is you got to manage minutes with
Kevin Durant a minute or warkload at least, and so
we expect he's gonna get some days off as the
season goes on, and back to backs and that sort
of thing. But I just worry because you'll lose Fred
van Vliet presumably for most of the season. I found
(03:35):
all the season you'll lose Dylan Brooks in the trade.
You lose Jalen Green in the trade. I almost look
it as like, aren't you kind of worse year over
year on those nights where Kevin Durant isn't playing because
you you have less depth than you had a year ago.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Sure, I think on the nights where Katie plays and
we don't quite know the rest plan yet for Kevin Durant,
if there will even be one, yeah, the Rockets will
be a little short handed. I'm still of the opinion
that Jalen Green, while a high volume score, was not
the most efficient or really a plus player for a
lot of the season last year for the Rockets. So
I think the Rocket's going to be just fine even
with kind of a more minutes managed Kevin Durant. You
(04:14):
got Dorian Cinny Smith, who they hope will come back.
Steven Adams is back, quin Capella brings more minutes off
the bench. It's kind of a funky rotation, right. I
don't know if there's a single legitimate point guard on
the roster and set outside of Aaron Holliday, but I
think it's a roster emay Udoka really likes. I don't
think he's too concerned about the depth he has right now.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
And then, I mean, we haven't talked much about it,
but the starting five they're going to roll out Emai
Udoka letting everybody know about it yesterday, and I mean,
the shortest guy you're going to have out there is
a Men Thompson at six'. Seven for the longest time
it was trying to find ways to offset what The
Golden State warriors. Did is all this length is This
let's kind of try to thunderproof this thing as much as.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Possible, Yeah i'll tell you what. Fellas Emay udoka loves
The Dumble big so much you don't get that many
smile from. Him but when he kind of brought up
other teams trying to be a copycat of The Double
big this, weekend he led out a, big wide. SMILE
i think he likes budgeting teams on the. GLASS i
think he likes protecting the. Paint and as you mentioned pretty,
smartly it's a thunder specific starting. LINEUP i think tonight
(05:15):
they Have Isaiah hartenstein as well As Chet. Holmgren The
rockets counter that With Steven adams And albern Sheng. GUN
i would say the double big is not a lineup
we're going to see for fifty sixty plus games as.
STARTERS i would say more thirty ish twenty five ish
games as my. GUEST i think the double big is
a specific matchup That email will, deploy not a permanent.
ONE i think we'll see more traditional starting lineups at
(05:37):
some point In.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
November talk With Michael shapirocron dot. Com he's up, there,
okay see ahead of the season opener tonight you can
hear right here On Sports talk seven out of your
home for The rockets and Mikel WHEN i Talk, SHANGUN
i Talk, Thompson which of the? Two we expect both
those guys to take another step this? Year we Saw
shangoon as An All. STAR i, mean he seems to
be blossoming into into what he's going to. Be i'm
(05:59):
And thompson still just scratching the, surface it feels. Like
but is it fair to expect both those guys to
take another step forward this year in their?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Development one hundred. PERCENT i think The rockets to really
be a championship team need An ALL nba Level Alpern
shechngun and An all star level of Men, thompson and
here's the good news for The. ROCKETS i think with
Sheng gun, specifically we saw that a lot last. Year
he did struggle in The Golden State, series missed a
lot of. BUNNIES i thought it was uncharacteristic series for.
(06:26):
HIM i think he's one of the most skilled big.
Men let's scratch, that one of the most skilled players
in all of basketball and. Men thompson is one of
the most athletic players in all of. Basketball AND i
know ament a little. Bit he's a very heady. Dude
he's a very focused guy for all to talk about
his athletic, gifts his, focus his, demeanor the way he
ingests the. Game it's not as, impressive but it almost
is as. IMPRESSIVE i think those two guys are the
(06:48):
pivot players for The, rockets and two guys in The
rockets to feel will represent the franchise well for years
to come.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Again Michael shapirocron Dot com joining us here on the
seven Ninety Morning. Show he's up there in Ok see
For Rockets thunder opening of THE nba. Season what's your
ceiling this?
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Year?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Michael for this team Health health included what's your ceiling
for This rockets team in The Western.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Conference people might think being a bit of a homer,
HERE i will, say have not even From. HOUSTON i
think championship expectations are not unfair at all for This rockets.
Group why Would Kevin durant come here if not to
win a. Championship this roster won fifty games last. Year
they replaced a pretty middling player In Jalen green, with
AS i, said a hall of famer bona fide hall
(07:29):
of famer In Kevin. DURANT i think it all comes
down To kadi's. Health we have a Healthy Kevin durant championship,
contender no Healthy Kevin durant uphill. BATTLE i Think rockets
fans not to be too. Excited as long As kats
on the, flour this will be a fifty plus win.
Team this will be near the top of The. West
and then we'll see what happens In may And. June
let's get.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Into this game. Tonight, obviously the thunder coming off, win
the winning the. Championship they're phil really good about. Themselves
shake gild just establishing, himself as you, know AN mvp
and one of the best, players if not the best
player in The. League what do The rockets have to?
Do how do you defend these? GUYS i, mean emotions
are gonna be riding high with them celebrating their championship.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
There let's expect a rock, fight a bit of a slugfest.
TONIGHT i think that's the way The rockets want to. Play,
heck that's the way the thunder kind of want to.
PLAY i think The rockets will see pretty solid results
with the double. BIG i think they'll have some turnover
problems forced By Oklahoma. CITY i think This rockets offense
might be a bit of a slog in the first
couple of weeks of this. Season it'll be a lot
(08:30):
better In, January February. March i'll say something Like oka
see one oh one ninety six. Tonight that feels about.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Right, well it's gonna be a fun one and it
worked out well a couple of, times at least last
year for The rockets against the world. Champs, Michael, HEY
i appreciate. It have a good cover tonight up, there and,
okay see and we'll see At Toyota center here pretty.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Soon happy basketball, Season thanks, guys
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