TORONTO, June 9, 2014 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) will hold its third annual NBA Canada Series presented by Bell, featuring two preseason games in Vancouver and Montreal.

The Toronto Raptors will play the Sacramento Kings at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Oct. 5, and the Raptors will play the New York Knicks at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Oct. 24.

Tickets for both games go on sale June 14. In Vancouver, visit ticketmaster.ca or call 1 (855) 985-5000. In Montreal, visit evenko.ca, call 1 (800) 310-2525 or in-person at Bell Centre box office.

The NBA Canada series will once again celebrate basketball with live NBA action, interactive fan events and community outreach programs designed to further develop the game in Canada.

“We have recently seen huge growth in the number of Canadians playing at a high level in the NBA, and the Canada Series is one of our most important programs as it brings live NBA games to our fans outside of Toronto,” said Dan MacKenzie, Vice President and General Manager, NBA Canada. “Thank you to Montreal and Vancouver for hosting this year’s series, which features two great matchups.”

“Our partnership with the NBA is part of Bell’s commitment to continue growing the game of basketball at all levels across Canada,” said Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Mobility and Residential Services, and Chief Brand Officer at Bell. “We look forward to bringing world-class basketball to more Canadians this fall with these two preseason Raptors games in Montreal and Vancouver.”

“We are honoured to play host to the Kings and Knicks as part of NBA Canada Series,” said Masai Ujiri, President and General Manager of the Raptors. “Coming off an exciting 2013-14 season, we look forward to continuing to build our fan base across Canada.”

Seven Canadian players have been drafted into the NBA in the past three years, with eight currently featured on NBA rosters. The NBA BIG Tour visited five Canadian cities last September and October, offering BIG Talent and BIG Entertainment in local markets.