Basketball fans responded again by filling the Bell Center on Thursday to watch an NBA preseason game, prompting one of the best players in the world to say Montreal deserved a club.
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“It was like a real game,” said Ontarian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had several relatives travel to see him play.
“The NBA should have a team here,” the Oklahoma City Thunder star added in all seriousness at his postgame press conference. He wore a Canadian jersey with his number and initials on the back.
His Quebec teammate Luguentz Dort couldn’t agree more after he enjoyed an unforgettable evening with 24 points in 24 minutes, much to the delight of the 21,055 spectators.
Luguentz Dort (left) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right) during the Thunder’s preseason game against the Pistons at the Bell Center on Thursday. Photo Martin Alarie
“Basketball is growing so much here. A lot of fans came to support us. I hope it will happen one day [une équipe à Montréal]. “It will definitely be difficult to come here and play because we have good fans,” said the man who wishes all La Belle Province players such an experience.
“I would have liked to play against [les Pacers de] Indiana,” Dort admitted.
Not easy for the opponents
For the second time since 2012, the Raptors were not in the game, but that didn’t stop Orange Ball fans from being there and impressing the Thunder coach.
“I would like there to be NBA training in Montreal, but at the same time I’m not sure if I want to come here as a visitor and play in front of this crowd!” » said Mark Daigneault with humor.
For someone whose great-grandfather was from Quebec, playing a friendly game in such an atmosphere was more important than the 128-125 loss to the Pistons.
“Thank you to the city of Montreal, to the basketball community here. We played in front of a loud and incredible crowd that was cheering for both teams. It was a pleasure to develop in such an environment,” said Daigneault immediately, before a single question was asked.
Good time
The Montreal charm also worked in the Detroit team clan.
“It was beautiful from the airport to the city center. “I came 30 years ago, but I was too young and immature to appreciate it,” recalls Pistons coach Monty Williams, of whom two of his French players, Killian Hayes and Malcolm Cazalon, were fond of speaking Molière during that brief stay languages. “People were nice everywhere. At the hotel we were given directions. We had a good time,” Williams concluded.
Despite all these good words, the plan to create an NBA franchise is on hold, as La Presse reported in May. In the event of possible expansions, the cities of Seattle and Las Vegas would be in the Silver Circuit’s crosshairs.