(Sports Network) - Reigning MVP LeBron James got a new toy in the offseason and hopes the addition of future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal can boost the Cleveland Cavaliers to new heights. The two superstars will officially kick off the season Tuesday night versus the Boston Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Cavaliers won the Central Division title last year and lost in six games to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland has made four straight trips to the postseason and snatched up O'Neal over the summer with hopes of getting the team back to the NBA Finals. O'Neal gives Cavs head coach Mike Brown two talented big men, as he will team up with Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the paint. O'Neal shook off some rust during the preseason, averaging 10.4 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game. O'Neal hopes to achieve his goal and "win a ring for the King."

Cleveland, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, is favored once again to represent the East in the Finals and possibly win it all, but must take it one game at a time. It set a solid foundation for success by going an NBA-best 39-2 at Quicken Loans Arena and 40-12 in conference play. Much of that success can be attributed to James, who averaged 28.4 points in 81 regular season games. James also posted 27.5 points per game in four contests against Boston in 2008-09.

Much like Cavs general manager Danny Ferry, Celtics GM Danny Ainge went shopping this offseason and signed veteran forward/center Rasheed Wallace. Wallace spent the last five-plus seasons with Detroit, helping the Pistons win an NBA title in 2004. He averaged 12 points and 7.4 rebounds in 66 games (63 starts) for Detroit last season. The four-time All-Star is expected to come off the bench for head coach Doc Rivers.

The Celtics were ousted by Orlando in seven games in the conference semifinals, just one year after winning an NBA title. Boston, the two-time defending Atlantic Division champions, is pegged to compete for Eastern Conference supremacy with Tuesday's opponent and has to solve its woes on the road in this series.

Boston has lost 11 in a row at Quicken Loans Arena, including the playoffs, and 19 of its last 26 contests as the visitor in this series.

Along with Wallace, the Celtics will look to superstars Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to make another run at a championship. Point guard Rajon Rondo is the pulse of the offense and needs to keep his teammates involved, especially in an early blockbuster matchup with James and the Cavs. Garnett, the 2007-08 defensive player of the year, missed 25 games last season because of knee surgery and hopes to be back at full strength.

Pierce led the team in scoring last season with 20.5 ppg, and has averaged 20 or more points for a season in eight of the previous nine years.



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