Start of Warriors-Rockets Game 5 features an embarrassingly empty arena

Jabari Smith Jr. of the Houston Rockets looks on before Game 5 of the Western Conference’s NBA playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center in Houston on April 30, 2025.

Alex Slitz/Getty Images

The early start time for Game 5 of the Warriors-Rockets series had a serious impact on the crowd in Houston, with hundreds, and more likely thousands, of seats still vacant at tipoff.

The first two games in Houston started at 8:30 p.m. CDT, while Wednesday’s game started at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Right out of the gates, the thing that stood out the most was just how many seats were empty at tipoff.

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The earlier tipoff is likely a way to fit TNT’s national broadcast doubleheader schedule. The only other game scheduled on Wednesday night is Wolves-Lakers in Los Angeles, which forced the Houston-Golden State game to be the early of the two.

Still, 6:30 p.m. doesn’t seem like it’d be that big of a problem for most fans, given that a normal workday lasts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But the traffic in the Houston metroplex is considered some of the worst in the country, ranking eighth in the U.S. in Stacker’s measure of time lost per driver due to traffic congestion.

The Rockets seemed well aware of what the early time was going to do to their tip-time crowd. The team posted what it called an “official-ish letter” on social media, hoping fans would use it to get out of work early and head to their seats on time.

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Game 5 has an EARLY tip-off 🚨Here’s our official-ish letter to get you out of work early.

You’re welcome. See you in your seats at 6:30 sharp! pic.twitter.com/TXNpjmEDuA

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 29, 2025

But clearly, that didn’t work. The vast number of empty seats were visible throughout the start of the first quarter on the telecast. From some camera angles, it looked like there were more empty seats and fans in sections behind the baskets.

It didn’t impact Houston’s players on the court, though. The Rockets surged out ahead and are leading 40-24 after one quarter.

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