MONTREAL – For parts of the New Year, the NBA G League’s Long Island Nets have called Place Bell home.
**[TICKETS: Memphis Hustle vs. Les Nets on March 13 and 14 🎟️](https://www.ticketmaster.ca/les-nets-tickets/artist/3261994?language=en&brand=placebell&CAMEFROM=%20CFC_CANADIENS_PR_CHCWEB_HEINEMANQA)**
“Les Nets”, the name they’ve adopted while in Quebec, have played four games through January and February in the home of the Laval Rocket and will wrap up their six-game sojourn in March with[](the)
Their time in La Belle Province has been marked by two new franchise records for home attendance on January 24 and 26 against the Raptors 905 with over 15,000 fans at Place Bell over both games. Canadiens forward Emil Heineman got to watch the future of the NBA in action on February 5 against the Greensboro Swarm and the Habs content team caught up with No. 51 to learn more about his experience at the game.
_Please note answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness._
**_What was your experience like at the Les Nets game?_**
It was great! It was my first basketball game. So, I had no previous experiences or expectations, but it was really cool. The crowd was going. I play a little bit of pick-up basketball in the summer, but it was really cool to see how good they are, and it was a really good game too. They tied it up at the end, and the place went nuts. So, it was an awesome experience.
**_What did you think about the skill level on display?_**
It was really cool to see, actually. They were really good players. It was fun to see all the different things they do out there. It was really impressive. I was sitting courtside, so it was really nice to be that close too. It was a crazy experience! It was really cool.
**_The NBA G League is a development league, much like the AHL is for the NHL. Would you say the compete level on the court is similar to what you experienced with the Rocket on the ice?_**
Yeah, I would say so. It’s pretty similar. You can see how they’re fighting out there to give themselves a name and show themselves as players. I connected with that a little bit. It was for sure a good level and they want to take the next step.
**_Montreal and Laval are known as hockey towns, but it seems like the vibes are just as high for these basketball games. Can you talk about the atmosphere for hoops at Place Bell?_**
Yeah, it was. I was a little unsure about what to expect at the start, like what to expect from everyone, I guess. But at the end, there was really a hockey vibe. It was kind of the same thing. They got it going a little bit and they were booing on the free throws. They were booing when the other team was shooting and yeah, it was a great experience.
**_Would you recommend NBA G League games to Canadiens fans who have yet to attend a game in person?_**
Absolutely. Absolutely. There were a lot of people there and it was a great experience and atmosphere. It was a good game. We were really pumped when we got there. The game did not disappoint, so it was really nice.