PROVIDENCE - Quick learning curve regarding this beat.  Not a lot happens during the preseason.

In a nutshell:  don’t expect to see a lot of the LeBron – again.  And any Cavs fan should get that.  But you have to question the wisdom of marketing this exhibition contest based on his cameo as I saw today on a local Providence television station.

Game:  Cavaliers (0-1) vs. Boston Celtics (0-1)

Broadcast: WAKR (1590 AM); WTAM (1100 AM), WHBC (1480 AM)

Starters:

Cavs:  Zydrunas Ilgauskas (C); LeBron James (F); Wally Szczerbiak (G); Ben Wallace (F) and Mo Williams (G).

Celtics:  Ray Allen (G); Kevin Garnett (F); Patrick O’Bryant (C); Paul Pierce (F); Rajon Rondo (G). 

What to watch:  Wally Szczerbiak will start at the two guard tonight as Coach Mike Brown tries to work out who he plans to start in that position.  Sasha Pavlovic – who didn’t travel to Rhode Island with the team – started against the Raptors.  In the past, Brown has said that it’s not necessarily important who starts in that position. Look for how the Cavs first round draft pick, JJ Hickson continues to develop.

Pre-game:

Quotable:

In the locker room:  “I don’t let stuff like that hang over my head.  We had an opportunity to win and we didn’t.  I thought about it a little bit, but I had to get ready for the Olympics, so I really didn’t dwell on it too much.” – LeBron James on losing to the Celtics in the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals last spring. 

When asked about the Celtics ring ceremony, which will be against the Cavs on opening night, James said. “It won’t bother me.  See if I’m out there or not when they receive their rings.  We’ll see what happens.”

When asked about whether it will motivate him to see the Celtics get a ring, James said he didn’t need another team’s ring ceremony to motivate him.

From the coach’s office:  Mike Brown said the Cavs will continue to take the Delonte West situation one game at a time.