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After finishing dead last in attendance during their 12-70 season, the Nets' deadline deal for Deron Williams saved them from the same fate this season. The Nets finished 28th in the league, with an average of 14,179 people passing through the turnstiles their first year at Prudential Center...ahead of the Kings and Pacers.
Just before the Williams trade, the Nets were averaging about 1,000 fewer fans per game...and were 30th in the NBA. Last season, they finished with an average of 13,103. They were averaging a little less before the deal.
In terms of percentage of the arena filled, the Nets finished 25th at 80.6%, ahead of the Kings, Timberwolves, Pistons and Pacers who again finished last. That's a considerable improvement over the 69.1% of the IZOD seats they filled last season. On the road, the Nets did considerably better (as they almost always do). They attracted an average road attendance of 17,098, for 17th.
Team insiders are quick to point out that the Nets numbers released to the league are "turnstile numbers", that is people who actually enter the arena. Teams are free to report either "turnstile numbers" or tickets sold and distributed. In terms of tickets sold and distributed, insiders say the Nets were about the middle of the NBA.