Cleveland doesn’t rock … yet

The Cavaliers are without contract holdouts Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic going into the opener. That can’t be an easy feeling for the team that squared off against San Antonio for the title.

“They probably don’t feel they’re the team that got to the Finals,” Jerry Stackhouse said. “They’re without two important parts that got them there.”

Avery Johnson, though, isn’t taking LeBron James and his remaining cohorts lightly.

“They’re the defending Eastern Conference champions,” Johnson said. “They were one of the two best teams in basketball the way they finished last year.”

Johnson is without one of Dallas’ two All-Stars in Josh Howard.

“That’s a challenge,” Johnson said. “That’s 20 and 10. It’s good when you can count on 20 and 10.”

To be fair, Howard averaged 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds last year. Both numbers were career highs and, though not 20 and 10, aren’t too shabby.