The new-look Cleveland Cavaliers tip off their first season with LeBron James back in the fold Thursday night by hosting the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. We've already had some spectacular highlights two days into 2014-15, but this is our first chance to see James, Kevin Love and the Cavs competing in an actual game.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks: Live stream, TV schedule, radio and more for LeBron James’ Cleveland debut
LeBron James and the reloaded Cavaliers make their season debut against the Knicks on Thursday night. Here’s how to catch the game live.
Jamie Sabau
Expectations for Cleveland are understandably high after a historic summer, which included several marquee additions beyond James and Love. Once it was known that LeBron would be returning to the Cavs after a four-year stint with the Miami Heat, numerous veterans decided to follow the four-time MVP in hopes of competing for titles.
That’s the juggernaut we expect out of Cleveland eventually, although the first weeks of the season won’t necessarily be as impressive. Not only do the Cavaliers have a completely refashioned roster to figure out, but they’re doing so with a first-year coach, David Blatt, who’s spent most of his career overseas.
It’s a formula that should work wonders eventually, given the overwhelming talent in place, and that makes Thursday an exciting opportunity to get a first glimpse. With that said, if the Cavaliers pound on the Knicks in their opener, it probably says as much about New York as the looming monster that Cleveland will become.
The Knicks opened their season with a 104-80 loss to the Chicago Bulls at home on Wednesday night, and now get stuck visiting the Cavs in a back-to-back. New York opens with as hard a schedule as anyone in the league, and that means things could get ugly in a hurry on Thursday.
Coverage of the action begins an hour before gametime as TNT celebrates the beginning of the season with an NBA Tip-Off show, including appearances by musical artists Kendrick Lamar and Imagine Dragons. The show will also feature “the Cavalier Girls dance team, the Scream Team hip-hop troupe and more,” and of course, Kevin Hart will be there, too. Pretty much any time the NBA does anything, you can expect Hart to be there.
How to watch
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
When: 8 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Announcers: Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Marv Albert
Radio: ESPN Radio
Streaming: Watch TNT
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