Pregame: Cavs at Pistons

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0) at Detroit Pistons (0-0)
Time: 7:30 p.m.; Venue: The Palace of Auburn Hills; TV: FS Ohio
Cavs probables: PG Kyrie Irving, SG Anthony Parker, SF Alonzo Gee, PF Antawn Jamison, C Anderson Varejao
Pistons probables: PG Will Bynum, SG Ben Gordon, SF Damien Wilkins, F Charlie Villanueva, C Greg Monroe
Injuries: Cavs -- Semih Erden (thumb) out, Omri Casspi (knee) out, Daniel Gibson (tooth) out, Manny Harris (foot) out; Pistons -- None.
Officials: James Capers, Curtis Blair, Olandis Poole

NOTES
* Byron Scott chose Sessions as his starting point guard tonight for two reasons: So Kyrie Irving has to earn his spot and to give him more time to adjust. Scott said when he started Chris Paul in his first preseason game, Paul had the benefit of summer league and he joined the team a month before training camp began to get acclimated. The lockout prevent Irving from all of that.

* Just the fact that NBA basketball returns tonight is a bit surprising given how nasty the labor battle got. A few of the Cavs even acknowledged before the game tonight they weren't sure whether there would be a season. "When it went to court, I really didn't know what to expect," Sessions said. "But I'm glad it's here. Glad to have this Cleveland shirt on, these great NBA socks on and I'm ready to go play now."

* Erden, Gibson and Harris did not make the trip.

* First-year Pistons coach Lawrence Frank likes to surround himself with people. The Pistons have SIX assistant coaches this season. If teams are grumbling about losing money, maybe they shouldn't carry seven coaches on the payroll. That equates to 2.1 players per coach.

* The last time the Cavs were here, Charlie Villanueva went crazy looking for Cavs center Ryan Hollins. The two had to be separated on the court and both were ejected, then Villanueva headed toward the Cavs tunnel and later the Cavs locker room looking for Hollins. Something to keep an eye on, since these two teams will face each other three times over the next two weeks.