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Brooklyn Nets (0-0) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0)

Quicken Loans Arena  7:00

TV: YES-NBATV– RADIO: WFAN 660 AM/101.9 FM[/box]

[quote_simple]NETS STARTERS

The starting lineup for Opening Night in Cleveland tonight will be Deron Williams playing alongside Joe Johnson in the backcourt with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and the man in the middle Brook Lopez up front.

Andrei Kirilenko will get the night off to rest his back and get ready for the home opener on Friday night in Brooklyn.

[box]Game Notes:

This will be the fifth time the Nets and Cavaliers have opened a season against one another.

Brooklyn wants to improve their 1-3 mark in the previous four games, which were all hosted by the Nets.  Not good.

Their last opening night meeting occurred on 10/31/00 with the Nets losing 82-86

[quote_simple]WHAT TO LOOK FOR

The time is now for the Brooklyn Nets

Everyone knows what the Nets did in the offseason, the hype surrounding this team has been immense.  All the players and coaches need to push their chips to the center of the table and come together as one unit to make a run at the NBA title.

The talk is over so go out and put on a show this season.

[box]”I think it’s tough to come together and win a championship in the first year. That’s not saying it can’t be done, we’re looking to do that,” Williams said.

“But as far as people not picking us, that’s all right. We’ll worry about us, we’ll worry about getting better, and we feel like if we get to the playoffs and everybody’s healthy, we have a chance to beat anybody.”

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CAVALIERS STARTERS

The Cavaliers starting lineup will be Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters in the backcourt with Earl Clark, Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varajeo playing in the frontcourt.

The young Cavs have added a few pieces in the offseason to help their uber-talented point guard in Kyrie Irving. (NJ)

The additions of  Clark, the number one pick Anthony Bennett, a healthy Varajeo, Russian stud Sergey Karasev and the oft-injured Andrew Bynum will help this young team grow into a playoff team sooner than most think.

[box]”I feel we definitely have the pieces this year,” said Irving, who averaged 22.4 points and 5.9 assists last season.

“We have the chance to be something special.”

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[box]INJURY REPORT

NETS

Shaun Livingston – probable  (stiff neck)

Andrei Kirilenko – doubtful (back spasms)

CAVALIERS

Andrew Bynum  – out (life in general)

Carrick Felix – out (sports hernia)

Sergey Karasev – questionable (sprained left ankle)

C.J. Miles – questionable (right calf)

Tyler Zeller – questionable (appendectomy)

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H/T NBA.com