Game 1: Cavs vs. Celtics - Tue, Oct 27, 7:30pm

[Exile23]

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• Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
• 7:30 PM - ET
• Quicken Loans Arena
• Cleveland, OH
• TNT, WTAM1000



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...................................................................................................PF: C: SF:
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..........................................................................................................................................PG: SG:
...................................................................................................PF: C: SF:


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........................................................................................................................................................................Key Matchup






........................................................................................................................................................................Key Bench

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........................................................................................................................................................................Injury Report

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• Leon Powe - Out With Knee Injury
• Tony Allen - Out With Ankle Injury



........................................................................................................................................................................Game Notes


• Tuesday's season opener will be the 600th Cleveland Cavaliers game (374-225, .624) at Quicken Loans Arena, in its 16-year history.

• The Cleveland Cavaliers have won the last eight regular season games against the Boston Celtics at The Q, dating back to the 2005-06 season. The last time the teams faced each other in Cleveland, the Cavaliers defeated the Celtics by 31 points, the largest margin in their series history, 107-76. In that game, Cleveland held Boston to a Cavs opponent season-low nine points in the first quarter on 3-20 (.150) shooting and 29-81 (.358) shooting for the game, the team's fourth lowest opponent field goal percentage of the season.

• Including the postseason, the last 16 meetings between Cleveland and Boston have been won by the home team. The last visiting team to win in the series was the Cavs who won in Boston on January 3, 2007.

• Last season, the Cavaliers and Celtics were the top two defensive teams in the NBA. The Cavaliers allowed the fewest points per game at 91.4 ppg (Boston was 3rd at 93.4 ppg) and defensive three-point field goal percentage at .333 (Boston was 5th at .349). Boston held the NBA's best mark in defensive field goal percentage at .431 by decimal points as Cleveland also was at .431.

• Entering into this season, LeBron James has scored 12,993 points in six regular seasons and with his seventh point will notch 13,000 for his career. James will become the youngest player in NBA history to score that many points at 24 years and 301 days, besting the previous mark set by Kobe Bryant of 26 years, 132 days (Elias).

• Coming into this season, Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown is the third winningest coach, based on winning percentage, for NBA coaches who've been with their current team in a single tenure for at least four seasons. At 211-117 (.643), Brown is only behind Gregg Popovich (686-330, .675) and Phil Jackson (496-242, .672). Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers at 230-180 (.561) ranks sixth behind Jerry Sloan (1043-630, .623) and George Karl (225-143, .611).

• The Cavaliers finished the preseason with a 4-4 record, outscoring their opponents 95.9 - 93.3 and outrebounding their opponents in six of the eight preseason games while averaging 40.3 rebounds to their opponents' 36.8.

• On Oct. 21, LeBron James had a team-high 18 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists and one block in 29 minutes. James played in six preseason games and led the Cavs in scoring (15.0 points) and steals (1.2). He also averaged 4.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 21.4 minutes.

• Against the Celtics on Oct. 21, Shaquille O'Neal scored nine points on 4-5 (.800) shooting in the second quarter. He finished with 16 points on 7-13 (.538) shooting, five rebounds and one block in 20 minutes. During the preseason, O'Neal played in seven games and averaged 10.4 points, 1.0 block and a team-high 6.1 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game.

• Anderson Varejao recorded 10 points on 5-7 (.714) shooting and seven rebounds in 26 minutes. In five preseason games, Varejao had the Cavs' highest field goal percentage (16-24, .667) and averaged 8.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game.

• Mo Williams appeared in five preseason games and led the team in assists, averaging a team-high 5.2 assists in 24.3 minutes.

• Versus Boston on October 21, Anthony Parker had seven points, four rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes. In starting all eight preseason games, he had six in double figures and averaged 7.8 points on .565 shooting, 3.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 23.4 minutes.



........................................................................................................................................................................Let's go Cavs!

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[boshjonesford]

i hope you guys get tired from this game so that Toronto can Beat the Cavs on Wednesday

[8pLEBRON]

It has been a while since we entered a season with the balance of power being so evident, some awesome rivalries including this one; never has their been more at stake and this season opener is as tasty as steak

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Our full offensive game won't be on showcase, that's for sure. Partly because we're playing the Celts and partly because we're behind as far as that aspect goes. Hopefully we're good enough defensively for LeBron to do his thing and carry us offensively.

[prekazi]

I can't wait anymore. I just want to sleep 'til Tuesday and woke up for the game. Game will be played at 1:00 AM according to our timezone. Welcome back sleepless nights.

[twenty23]

Loss.

[LoveThemCavs]

About time to get this party started and I can't wait! Great move by the NBA to put these two teams together on opening night. It will be a test right out of the gates. It's fitting that the Celtics added Rasheed Wallace. Spices things up even more between the two teams. There will be some chippy action out on the court Tuesday with both teams intending on sending a message. Rondo seems to really destroy the Cavs off the dribble so that's the main thing I'll be watching. LeBron vs Pierce is always good show. Can't wait to see the Diesel in wine and gold when it counts. Should be a great game, Go Cavs!

[Str33t_Fight3r]

hey guys, raps fan here. Just wondering how you guys are going to be using Shaq? Will he be playing in back-to-backs, or will be sitting out on the second game like he did for PHX?

Since our first game is against you guys, a lot of people over at the Raps board are asking this question too. Would be nice to get an answer.


Goodluck against the Celts, hope it goes triple OT but you guys still win

[B Mac]

Ive always hated the Celtics, but now I hate them even more with Raweed. For whatever reason though I actually like their fan base on here. I hope we absolutely destroy The Spitter, The Nut Puncher, and The Wannabe Thug.

[CzBron]

hey guys, raps fan here. Just wondering how you guys are going to be using Shaq? Will he be playing in back-to-backs, or will be sitting out on the second game like he did for PHX?

I'm not sure where this came from, Shaq played in EVERY back-to-back game last year in PHX, well, except three times at the beginning of the season where he sat out the first games of back-to-backs.

[Benedict_Boozer]

We might have to "Lebron" our way to a victory in this one, I don't think the team is up to speed with our sets and team defense based on how we looked in the preseason. I'd expect LBJ to put up a big game.

I also think we will lean on Shaq heavily early in the game to score as he was taking it to Perkins and Sheed in the last preseason game and scoring pretty much at will.

[prekazi]

I'm a big fan of Shaq but I never liked Shaq being a Cavalier, that being said I think once again this game's result will be determined by LeBron's greatness and I feel same about the rest of the season.

Anyway it's only 24 hours and 31 minutes!!!

[ddubb]

Can't wait for tip-off! This is becoming one of the leagues most entertaining rivalries between the Lebron/Pierce thing and now Shaq/Wallace.

Unless Lebron ends up playing a lot of 4, I see the Celtics exploiting the pick/pop with Rondo and Sheed. I don't see Shaq or Z having much success preventing Sheed from raining down 3's. You guys think AV will draw the primary Sheed-assignment? Also, is DWest definetely not playing? If so, that'll be another big advantage for Boston, as he defends Rondo as well as anyone. On the otherhand, the Celts have repeatedly displayed an inability to win at the Q, which is a big mental hurdle for them no doubt.

Looking forward to it, should be a good guage of each our teams.

[And1+2]

I see Boston taking this one, especially if their big 3 play how they should, and Rondo plays like he can. Of course, on the other side there's LeBron, and Shaq may decide to play like a beast.

Either way it plays out, It is going to be a VERY good game though, really excited to watch it tomorrow.

Luckily you guys get the Raps the next day and that should be fairly easy for you, especially at this stage of the season. The Raptors have a lot of gelling to do (and that might be an understatement).

[Ricky ROY Rubio]

cavs are going to get killed. celtics will come out with a bang and win by 15.