OAKLAND, Calif. — Aaron Brooks never figured he’d take a ferry to a game. Not in the NBA, anyway.

The Houston Rockets traveled to their game with Golden State by boat, plus a bus ride on either side. Some riders thought the Rockets were plainclothes police officers, while others figured out they were a basketball team.
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is temporarily closed down for emergency repairs after a cable on the bridge’s upper deck snapped Tuesday, leaving the Rockets with two options to get to Oracle Arena: an early bus ride on a longer, alternate route over a different bridge or a quick and scenic ferry trip with the public.
Brooks even snapped some photos of his teammates on the 20-minute trip across San Francisco Bay.
“Make a memory,” he said with a smile. “I feel like I’m part of the city. Now I feel like I’m from San Francisco and Oakland.
“This had to be a first. We always see the boats. It was different. I never imagined being in the NBA I’d take a ferry to a game. It was nice, scenic. We had a great tour guide in (Bay Area native) Chuck (Hayes) — even though Chuck doesn’t know where the Golden Gate Bridge is. It was still cool nevertheless.”
Houston is staying in San Francisco and had to get to the East Bay to face the Warriors.
This is a first as far as the Warriors or Rockets can remember.