Dwight Howard (left) and Yao Ming (right) (Photo Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)

June 24, 2010

MCALLEN, TEXAS - The NBA Development League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced today that tickets to the NBA Pre-Season game between the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic on October 5 at State Farm Arena go on sale to the general public on Friday at 10:00 a.m.

Tickets can be purchased online through Ticketmaster, over the phone through Ticketmaster (1-800-745-3000), the Vipers (972-1144) or State Farm Arena (843-6688), or in person at any Ticketmaster outlet, the Vipers Pro-Shop at Uptown Plaza or the State Farm Arena box office.

Tickets start at $49.

Vipers season ticket holders can reserve their own seats and purchase up to 10 additional seats during the pre-sale which ends Friday at 10:00 a.m.

Last year the Rockets beat the Boston Celtics in front of a record sell-out crowd of 6,300.

Vipers season tickets start at $150 plus tax.

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are the NBA Development League affiliate of the NBA Houston Rockets. The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league whose teams have direct affiliations to NBA franchises. For the 2009-10 season, the league featured 16 teams – including the debut of the Maine Red Claws and the Springfield Armor, while a new team, the Texas Legends, will join the League for the 2010-11 season. A proven developer of talent, 20 percent of players in the NBA at the conclusion of the 2009-10 season boasted NBA D-League experience, while the league continues to develop coaches, referees, and front-office staff for the NBA and its teams. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, 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 the season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.