Houston could be elite as a whole this season, but even its best players couldn't crack the preseason MVP ladder.

Despite the officiating lapse, Oklahoma City capped off Ring Night with a hard-fought win and will now prepare to face the Indiana Pacers on Thursday in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Rockets will look to bounce back from the tough loss when they take on the Detroit Pistons on Friday.

The NBA welcomes in two new TV/streaming partners this season as its 11-year media rights deal kicks in. We sort out the particulars.

The Houston Rockets come into the season as one of the teams expected to compete for a championship. The Rockets made the most significant move of the offseason

The Oklahoma City Thunder received their NBA championship rings before their season opener against the Houston Rockets.

Houston went with an ultra-tall starting lineup in the wake of Fred VanVleet's torn ACL. It's not clear if that will be sustainable for Ime Udoka or if the roster will need tweaks down the line, but it's a strong start for the center.

NBA Opening Night Audience Peaked at 7.1 Million Viewers on NBC and Peacock for Thrilling Conclusion (10:45-11 p.m. ET) of Oklahoma City Thunder’s One-Point Win over Houston Rockets in First Double OT

The NBA's return to NBC with a doubleheader on Tuesday night averaged 5.61 million viewers, marking the most-watched October opening night in 15 years.