LEBRON James suited up after missing preseason games due to an ankle injury, while Gordon Hayward made a short debut before being stretchered off with a broken ankle as the Cavaliers held off the Boston Celtics, 102-99, in the NBA season opener on Tuesday in Cleveland.
James went 12 for 19 and wound up with 29 points in 41 minutes of action as the Cavaliers held off the a Celtics side now led by Kyrie Irving, who asked to be traded in the offseason.
Derrick Rose had 14 points on 5 of 14 shooting in 31 minutes, while Dwyane Wade played 29 minutes and shot 3 for 10, finishing with eight points.
Kevin Love had 15 points, while JR Smith came off the bench to deliver 10 points.
Hayward suffered the injury halfway through the first but Kyrie Irving and the Celtics managed to take a slim lead in the third after falling behind by 18.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 25 points, Irving went 8 for 17 and wound up with 22 points, while Jayson Tatum had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.
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