Basketball is Back

The NBA basketball season gets off to an exciting start tonight as the fresh-faced Cavaliers battle the geriatric (but still potent) Nets of Brooklyn. Kyrie Irving will look to lead the young Cavs in what everyone’s hoping will be a playoff-caliber campaign. Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson anchor the frontcourt in what might be the best offensive-rebounding duo across the NBA. Tonight’s game will feature former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in Nets’ uniforms and future Hall-of-Famer Jason Kidd in his first year as NBA coach. The Cavs will likely start Irving, Waiters, Gee/Clark, Thompson and Varejao as they hope to employ coach Mike Brown’s in-your-face defensive mentality. Some tickets are still available for as little as $14 (but don’t count on bringing a huge group and sitting next to each other or anything). The Q will (and should) be packed. Fun year ahead. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. (Allard)