Preseason openers don’t get much more fun than this. The Cleveland Cavaliers will play their first preseason game at home against Euroleague power Maccabi Tel Aviv, the former team of new coach David Blatt. Also of note: LeBron James will be wearing the wine and gold again for the first time in front of his fellow Northeast Ohioans.
LeBron James will play his first preseason game with the Cavaliers at home before he faces his former team, the Miami Heat, in Brazil.
The Cavs will open their exhibition season Oct. 5 against Maccabi Tel Aviv, the Israeli club formerly led by new Cleveland coach David Blatt. It will be James’ first game with the Cavs since re-signing with the team last month as a free agent.
Cleveland will play its second preseason game against the Miami Heat in Rio de Janeiro one week after its opener.
Blatt coached Maccabi from 2010-2014, leading the underdog Israeli side to a Euroleague championship this past season. He won three Israeli League titles with Maccabi Tel Aviv and was named the league’s Coach of the Year for his efforts in 2011 and 2014.
James, you may remember, famously left his hometown Cavaliers as a free agent in 2010 before re-upping with them this summer. The consensus vitriol met with his original departure was nearly surpassed by the widespread adulation he received from Cleveland fans upon deciding to return last month.
It’s only preseason. We get that. But for early October, this one should be considered must-watch basketball.
What do you think?
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