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[Chron]Rockets/Cleveland game largest attendance in Toyota Center history

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by scv_rockets, Feb 8, 2008.

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  1. scv_rockets

    scv_rockets Member

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    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5524163.html

    Rockets blow by Cavaliers for fifth straight win
    Club toughs it out despite ailing T-Mac
    By JONATHAN FEIGEN
    Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

    Before the game, at halftime, with every timeout — the message never changed.

    "Any chance we had," Yao Ming said, "we said together, 'Keep tight. They will not let down. They will fight back.'

    "We are learning if you keep fighting, something good will happen."

    A month ago, the Rockets lost games like Thursday's. Cleveland made its fourth-quarter run. The Rockets were staggered.

    But now they have changed, they said, and offered a 92-77 victory over the Cavaliers as evidence to the 18,402 who made up the Rockets' largest home crowd ever.

    "We were determined," guard Rafer Alston said. "We were focused the whole day. We came into the shootaround focused. We understand right now this four-game stretch going into the All-Star break is key. You get these four games, you put yourself over the 30-win mark and into the break with a lot of momentum."

    With the victory, the Rockets matched their season-best five-game winning streak. But with the exception of their hot-shooting third quarter, this was a win built on determination.

    That led them to dominate the boards 55-35 against a team that has been the NBA's top rebounding team since Jan. 11.

    It also led Tracy McGrady simply to play. He spent the day at Memorial-Hermann Hospital being treated for an upper respiratory infection and did not arrive at Toyota Center until less than a half-hour before the tip, struggling throughout the night, scoring eight points to go with seven rebounds.

    "I was going to give it a shot," said McGrady, looking glassy-eyed and guzzling chicken noodle soup. "How did I feel? Not too shabby. We were making plays for each other. Ball movement. Awareness on the defensive end. We did it all in the second half. Whatever it took to win, that's what we did in the second half."

    The Rockets had done most everything they wanted to do throughout the game. But for the first half, they could not put the ball in the basket. They made just 35.6 percent of their shots in the first half, just one of 11 3-pointers.

    Then the second half began with the Rockets making their first five shots, with McGrady, Rafer Alston and Shane Battier draining 3s.

    "I was like, 'All right — I hope we can stay like this the rest of the night,' " said Yao, who led the Rockets with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

    They couldn't maintain that pace, but they grew sharper offensively and even more determined defensively and on the boards.

    Though LeBron James had his customary 32 points, with seven rebounds and six assists, the Rockets held the injury-depleted Cavaliers to 39.7 percent shooting. On the other end, the Rockets moved the ball well enough to have assists on 29 of their 37 field goals, committing just 10 turnovers.

    Battier scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, when Alston had 12 of his 17.

    "I thought we came out with a little more pep, and as a result, we moved the basketball better," Battier said. "Any time you move the basketball better and make a few shots, the offense flows better. That was really the key for us early."

    But as suddenly as the Rockets had found their shots, they lost them again. With that, the Cavs crept within 75-68 and were still within seven with 3 1/2 minutes left.

    But Yao hit a jumper and Bonzi Wells grabbed the rebound of a missed McGrady 3, slamming in his follow to push the lead back to 10 points with 2 1/2 minutes left. With a Battier 3-pointer on the next trip down, the Rockets had a 13-point lead and no remaining doubt.

    The home-court woes, especially down the stretch, seemed long gone.

    "I liked the way we approached this game," coach Rick Adelman said. "I really think if we can do that, we can make some noise."
     
    #1 scv_rockets, Feb 8, 2008
  2. WhoMikeJames

    WhoMikeJames Member

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    Did they also mention they broke the record for quietest group of 18,000 fans?
     
    #2 WhoMikeJames, Feb 8, 2008
  3. NO NAME

    NO NAME Member

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    really? But I did hear a lot of cheering tonight.
     
    #3 NO NAME, Feb 8, 2008
  4. kaocsaephan

    kaocsaephan Member

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    lol...i saw the game on tnt and boy were there a lot of empty seats. i dont believe it. i wish that were the case, though. seriously, i think its non sense. 18,000? thats a full arco arena, thank you.
     
    #4 kaocsaephan, Feb 8, 2008
  5. Dave2000

    Dave2000 Member

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    um alot of my section in 421 was kinda empty, hell, i think it was more crowded for Swimsuit Calender game in Dec.
     
    #5 Dave2000, Feb 8, 2008
  6. Tonaaayyyy

    Tonaaayyyy Member

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    from a Cavs fan post

    "Is it me, or does the Rockets have one of the deadest atmospheres in the NBA" ?

    "It is Extremely dead, and it looks like the place is about half empty on top of that. A nationally televised game with LeBron in town and you cant even come close to filling the arena up? Im sure half of those people in the crowd are DJ's and Boobie's friends and family anyway."


    How sad that is.... Rockets fans need to get Louder and Rowdier! They also need to be in their seats on time cheering their asses off!
     
    #6 Tonaaayyyy, Feb 8, 2008
  7. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Member

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    lol tmac is right on haha.

    but it's true. the team is winning right now so at least fans can come 1 minute after tipoff rather than 15 minutes. is that too much to ask? show the love please.
     
    #7 t_mac1, Feb 8, 2008
  8. Uprising

    Uprising Member

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    That's crazy, you'd think it would have been higher in the playoffs.....like when we played the Mavs.

    Maybe he meant largest regular season game?
     
    #8 Uprising, Feb 8, 2008
  9. IROC it

    IROC it Member

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    Depth perception.
     
    #9 IROC it, Feb 8, 2008
  10. TdashDUB

    TdashDUB Member

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    My tickets section is 420!

    ..howdy neighbor
     
    #10 TdashDUB, Feb 8, 2008
  11. scv_rockets

    scv_rockets Member

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    I admit, the largest attendance statement is a little misleading.

    The San Antonio/Rockets game last month drew 18,353 at the Toyota Center. The game versus the Cavaliers last night IS the largest but by only 50 or so seats when compared to the Spurs game. And, the Spurs game was packed. It's not like it's a 1,000 seat difference or something.

    By the way, here is the 2005 playoffs and last season's playoffs attendance:

    2005:
    Game 3 vs. Dallas Mavericks: 18,199
    Game 4: 18,211
    Game 6: 18,215

    2007:
    Game 1 vs. Utah Jazz: 18,195
    Game 2: 18,206
    Game 5: 18,314
    Game 7: 18,307

    The playoff games were loud as heck so I guess it's all about how much noise you make.
     
    #11 scv_rockets, Feb 8, 2008
  12. v3.0

    v3.0 Member

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    that number is prolly tickets sold instead of actual attendance.

    Something I've been wondering about, I've seen other arenas on a national televised games and their lower bowl/courtside seats seems to be filled with younger crowds alot of times instead of your usual white collar old farts/smarmy sales reps.

    I can conclude

    A) They actually bought those expensive seats
    B) They know someone who has those seats as season tickets...whether personally or professionally

    Why is that and why can't it be like here? Are the bigwhigs who own those seats more spiteful or stingy with their tickets in this town that they'd rather let those tickets go unused then giving them away? I don't expect the younger crowd in this town to buy those tickets.
     
    #12 v3.0, Feb 8, 2008
  13. rubytuesday

    rubytuesday Member

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    i watched the game last night on TNT and thought the same thing about how quiet the stadium was. i was screaming and hollering and clapping louder than the entire arena at times. it was no doubt bad.
     
    #13 rubytuesday, Feb 8, 2008
  14. GuerillaBlack

    GuerillaBlack Member

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    People tried in the fourth quarter (late in the fourth).
     
    #14 GuerillaBlack, Feb 8, 2008
  15. Shawndme7

    Shawndme7 Member

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    lol they also tried sleeping.

    They showed a couple people in the crowd dozing off.
     
    #15 Shawndme7, Feb 8, 2008
  16. verti89

    verti89 Member

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    yea i was at the game, and I heard the largest crowd ever report and laughed. It has to be based solely on tickets sold and even still I am not sure how it is that our 'sell outs' we have had sold fewer tickets. It seems like max is max, but maybe that's just me. and yes it was very quiet, and this is one of my biggest disappointments with the houston fans. Last night i was in the lower bowl and able to talk comfortably to my brother sitting next to me, and in fact the guy in front of me could hear me just fine too because he was joining in the convo. The fans just dont get excited during the regular season and i think it would really help the team at home if we did better. I also think that it would be a cool concept for the Toyota center to allow people at halftime to come move around and fill the empty seats in the lower portion. I know its not going to happen and isnt reasonable, but it sure would make it louder in the second half and look better on tv.
     
    #16 verti89, Feb 8, 2008
  17. EssTooKayTD

    EssTooKayTD Member

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    Right...because we should all dip out of work earlier for a basketball game. Come on man! With that said, I'm always early, haha.

    It happens, but I don't know to what extent. I know I've received a few different tickets in great sections. Houston is full of businesses, and a basketball game is a commonly used form of entertainment for clients.

    Let's just think about people that can afford the expensive tickets for the whole season. They are typically either avid fans and will be there every game pretty much, or they are wealthy business people with some love for the team, but often times won't go to the game if something more pressing is happening or the have a suite as well and are up there entertaining their clients. I'm sure there are 100 reasons for it all. It is just how it's been forever.
     
    #17 EssTooKayTD, Feb 8, 2008
  18. poprocks

    poprocks Member

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    Mark Cuban would be saying it's on Les! Who's out there selling tickets?
     
    #18 poprocks, Feb 8, 2008
  19. JBIIRockets

    JBIIRockets Member

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    Are the Rockets the only team to have a huge bar area in the lower bowl.

    I don't get why fans pay all this money and then go to the bar area. You don't see Mavs fans doing that.
     
    #19 JBIIRockets, Feb 8, 2008
  20. professorjay

    professorjay Member

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    Watching the Rox game and then the following GS game was like watching a high school game and then switching to the Super Bowl.
     
    #20 professorjay, Feb 8, 2008
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