“The NBA should put a team here:” Montreal shines bright in preseason game
Thursday’s NBA preseason game in Montreal finished in thrilling fashion with the Detroit Pistons beating the Oklahoma City Thunder by a score of 128-125.
The real winner, though, was the city.
As the Bell Centre loaded up with basketball fans, an array of special guests that included a good chunk of the Montreal Canadiens roster and head coach Martin St. Louis packed the front row. A standing ovation for OKC small forward and Montreal native Luguentz Dort soon followed.
Fans brought the energy as the player thanked them in French before the first quarter began.
Huge Bell Centre welcome for Montreal-born #OKC player Luguentz Dort#NBAPreseason pic.twitter.com/XpIrOmRRT8
— Al Sciola (@al_sciola) October 12, 2023
And speaking of Dort, he was the first on the scoreboard, sinking a three-pointer with ease. That trend continued as the 24-year-old capped off his night with 24 points, more than anyone from either team.
His teammate and fellow member of the bronze-winning Canadian FIBA squad Shai-Gilgeous Alexander also got his fair share of affection from patrons.
As a result, the two Canadian stars had the vast majority of spectators on their side.
While it wasn’t enough to muster a win, the positive vibes remained.
It was only an exhibition game after all.
Pretty packed house here at the Bell Centre for preseason game between #OKC and #detroitpistons
…which begs the question, when are we getting a team? pic.twitter.com/sD4gNHIZqN
— Al Sciola (@al_sciola) October 12, 2023
That sentiment made its way into the press conferences, which saw the coaches of both teams acknowledging Montreal’s electric atmosphere.
“The crowd tonight was awesome. They just wrapped their arms around both teams,” said OKC coach Mark Daigneault. “We just love it up here.”
“It’s a beautiful city,” Pistons bench boss Monty Williams added, after telling reporters about the “friendly” treatment him and his players have recieved in the city.
Dort and Gilgeous-Alexander gave Montreal fans what they really wanted, though, when they led a joint press conference wearing Canadiens jerseys with their respective names and numbers.
“Basketball is big in Montreal and it’s gonna keep getting bigger,” said Dort. “I’m honoured to just play that game tonight.”
“It’s something unforgettable, honestly,” he added, referencing the outpouring of love he recieved from his hometown.
Luguentz Dort showed up to his Montreal press conference with personalized #Habs and Alouettes jerseys.
SGA then crashed it wearing one of his own#nbapreseason pic.twitter.com/efaulgaDxt
— Al Sciola (@al_sciola) October 13, 2023
Gilgeous-Alexander provided the most exciting comment for fans hoping for a second Canadian team to join the NBA via expansion.
“I haven’t been [in Montreal] in so long so I didn’t know what to expect,” the Hamilton native said. “It was almost like it was a real NBA game. Not almost. It definitely felt like it was a real NBA game.”
“The NBA should put a team here.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the atmosphere in Montreal:
“The NBA should put a team here.” pic.twitter.com/vmAAhuCjn1
— Al Sciola (@al_sciola) October 13, 2023
If his wish comes true, he’ll likely be welcomed back with open arms — no matter which city he plays with.
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