The NBA is officially back tonight
with three games on tap for the season openers.
Washington Wizards @
Cleveland Cavaliers
First, we go to Cleveland
where the Wizards look to start the season off the right the way. There is a
(huge) bump in the road, however, for the Wizards. Franchise point guard John
Wall will be out of tonight’s contest due to a stress injury to his right knee;
he will be out for 4 more weeks. Wizard’s big man Nené also has a minor foot
injury and will also miss tonight’s opener.
Washington will use A.J.
Price and Jannero Pargo at the point for the opening month after cutting
Shelvin Mack on Sunday. Price started six of the team's eight preseason games
at the point, averaging 9.6 points.
On the Cavs side of things,
new acquisition C.J. Miles, who averaged 11.9 points in the preseason after
spending his first seven years in Utah, should see plenty of playing time, as
he will start in tonight’s contest.
The Cavs, who ranked 29th in
the NBA in field-goal percentage (42.2%) last season, are looking for a step
forward from second-year big man Tristan Thompson. The No. 4 pick in 2011
averaged 8.2 points and 6.5 rebounds last season.
Starting lineups:
Position
|
Wizards
|
Cavaliers
|
Point Guard
|
A.J. Price
|
Kyrie Irving
|
Shooting Guard
|
Bradley
Beal
|
C.J.
Miles
|
Small Forward
|
Trevor Ariza
|
Alonzo Gee
|
Power Forward
|
Trevor
Booker
|
Tristan
Thompson
|
Center
|
Emeka Okafor
|
Anderson Varejao
|
Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat
The attention on this game
goes to the Miami Heat. They will hold their championship ceremony tonight to
kick off their title defense against the team that took them to seven games
during last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
It's also the first time the
Celtics will face Ray Allen as an opponent since he left Boston over the summer
and signed with Miami, a decision that his former coach and teammates were most
unhappy about. Miami kept its
championship rotation intact, while adding Allen and Rashard Lewis to the mix.
Boston has vastly improved
the bench to fill the void left by Allen leaving. They have added former Dallas
Maverick Jason Terry and former Houston Rocket Courtney Lee, and will also be
getting Jeff Green back after missing all of last season with heart surgery. Boston
also drafted Jared Sullinger, a very talented player who dropped during the
draft last season due to injury and no improvement from one college season to
the other.
Allen knows it will be
unusual to see the Heat get their rings, especially since five months ago; he
was busy trying to thwart their title march. There appears to be no injuries on
this front except for Avery Bradley who had off season surgery on both
shoulders.
Starting lineups:
Position
|
Celtics
|
Heat
|
Point Guard
|
Rajon Rondo
|
Mario Chalmers
|
Shooting Guard
|
Courtney
Lee
|
Dwyane
Wade
|
Small Forward
|
Paul Pierce
|
LeBron James
|
Power Forward
|
Brandon
Bass
|
Shane
Battier
|
Center
|
Kevin Garnett
|
Chris Bosh
|
Dallas Mavericks @ Los
Angeles Lakers
Disappointing playoff
outcomes led the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks to retool their
rosters in hopes of again rising to the top of the Western Conference.
Each team, though, surrounded
its long-standing, yet injured, superstar in different manners.
Kobe Bryant expects to play
but Dirk Nowitzki won't as these new-look squads open their seasons Tuesday
night in Los Angeles.
The Lakers were bounced in
five games in the second round of last season's playoffs by Oklahoma City, the
eventual West champion that swept Dallas out of the postseason the previous
round.
Los Angeles had what was one
of the most productive off seasons this side of The Decision trading for
All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard as well as signing former 6th
man of the year Antawn Jamison, and acquiring Jodie Meeks. That’s not to say
Dallas didn’t have a good off season; they acquired the services of: Elton Brand,
O.J. Mayo, Darren Collison, Dahntay Jones and Chris Kaman
Howard had a back injury,
but appears to be back at 100%, playing a few preseason contests to make sure
of that. Bryant was a question mark with a bruised and strained right foot
until pronouncing himself ready to go after fully participating in Tuesday's
shoot around.
On Dallas’ side, Chris Kaman
will miss tonight’s contest and is day to day. Forward Brendan Wright is also
listed as day to day, however it is unknown if he will participate in tonight’s
game. Dirk Nowitzki will miss at least the first 10 games after arthroscopic
surgery on his right knee.
Starting lineups:
Position
|
Mavericks
|
Lakers
|
Point Guard
|
Darren Collison
|
Steve Nash
|
Shooting Guard
|
O.J.
Mayo
|
Kobe
Bryant
|
Small Forward
|
Shawn Marion
|
Metta World Peace
|
Power Forward
|
Elton
Brand
|
Pau
Gasol
|
Center
|
Bernard James
|
Dwight Howard
|
