G League Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Chance to Win Tickets to Rockets-Celtics Game

Published on May 12, 2009 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release


MCALLEN, TEXAS - The NBA D-League Rio Grande Valley Vipers and Pepper's at Uptown announced today that due to the overwhelming popularity of last week's Rockets playoff viewing parties, they will be hosting watch parties for the games five and six of the Western Conference Semifinals Series between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers today and Thursday.

One pair of tickets to the Rockets game against the Boston Celtics on October 7 at Dodge Arena will be raffled off each night, courtesy of Pepper's at Uptown. Contestants must be present to win.

The Rockets have also donated other giveaway items for the viewing parties as well.

Today's game begins at 9:30 p.m. while Thursday's game starts at 8:30 p.m. Join fellow Rockets and Vipers fans for pre-game festivities 30 minutes before scheduled tip-off.

Happy Hour specials at Pepper's will be in effect for the duration of each game. This includes $2 draft beers, $5 "Rocket Red" Martinis and $5 appetizers. The kitchen will stay open throughout the game.

"These viewing parties have been so much fun for everyone in the community, so we decided to continue the excitement. This is also a great chance to watch some former Vipers on a big stage," Vipers President/GM Brian Michael Cooper said.

Both the Rockets and Lakers have Vipers alumni on their teams.

The Rockets' starting point guard is Aaron Brooks, who was assigned to the Vipers during the 2007-08 season. Brooks averaged 23.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in two contests, both at Dodge Arena, for the Vipers.

Brooks is averaging 16.5 points and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 40.7% (22-for-54) from behind the arc in the playoffs. He is at 18.3 points per game against the Lakers, including a game-high 34 points in the Rockets' 99-87 Game 4 victory over the Lakers on Sunday.

Joey Dorsey, who will be active for the Rockets tonight for the first time this post-season, was an NBA-assignee this past season, averaging 9.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in seven contests for the Vipers.

Shannon Brown, who comes off the bench for the Lakers, was an NBA- assignee from the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, He averaged 20.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Vipers in five games last season.

Brown is averaging 7.4 points per game while shooting 64.3% (9-for-14) from behind the arc. He is at 7.8 points per game, including a 14- point performance against the Rockets on Sunday.

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are a professional basketball team in the NBA Development League (NBA D-League). The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA's official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams for the 2008-09 season. An expansion team will begin play in Portland, Maine for the 2009-10 season, and the Anaheim Arsenal will relocate to Springfield, Mass., with a new name, logo, and team colors. Sixty former NBA Development League players were on 2008-09 NBA start-of-season rosters, and the league continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league's connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast. The Vipers NBA affiliates are the Houston Rockets, and the New Orleans Hornets.

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