The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers will be among the first Eastern Conference teams to tip off their seasons.

If all goes according to plan for the Knicks and Cavaliers, they'll be the last two teams in the conference still tipping off next spring, as well.

The two teams will begin the path they hope directs them to a long-awaited return to the NBA Finals when New York hosts Cleveland in a battle of longtime rivals Wednesday night.

Both teams are expected to contend for the Eastern Conference championship after successful if ultimately disappointing seasons last year. The Cavaliers finished first in the East with a 64-18 record before falling in five games to the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals.

The Knicks finished third in the East at 51-31 and reached the confere

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