CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers finally get to see what the new season looks like against somebody wearing a different uniform.

Cleveland opens its three-game preseason schedule Thursday night against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, giving Kenny Atkinson his first opportunity to experiment with rotations and lineup combinations in an actual game setting.

Game Information

The most interesting part of the preseason may be how Cleveland’s core looks after finally getting a full training camp together. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden played together following last season’s trade deadline, but this is their first opportunity to enter a season after an offseason and camp built around that pairing.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen remain in place up front, giving Cleveland four established starters. The fifth spot is much less certain.

Peyton Watson is one of the biggest names to watch after Cleveland acquired him from Denver during the offseason. The 24-year-old averaged 14.6 points and 4.9 rebounds last season while shooting 41.1 percent from three, and his size and defensive versatility could make him a natural fit alongside Cleveland’s established core.

Atkinson has not committed to Watson as the fifth starter, however, which makes these three preseason games important. Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, and other options should also get opportunities as Cleveland tries to determine which combinations make the most sense around Mitchell, Harden, Mobley, and Allen.

The bench rotation is another question worth watching. Cleveland lost several contributors during the offseason, including Dean Wade, Max Strus, Dennis Schröder, Keon Ellis, and Larry Nance Jr., while adding Watson, Mario Hezonja, Khalifa Diop, and rookie Meleek Thomas.

That creates plenty of available minutes behind the starters and it is here where the fate of the season may lie.

Thomas could be particularly interesting. The rookie guard enters his first NBA preseason with an opportunity to work his way into the backcourt rotation, and Cleveland still has some uncertainty surrounding who will handle backup point guard responsibilities when Mitchell and Harden are off the floor.

Boston should provide a useful first test. The Celtics won 56 games last season and added Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and veteran guard Mike Conley during an offseason that also saw longtime star Jaylen Brown depart.

Nobody should read too much into the final score Thursday night. Starters may play limited minutes, rotations will change constantly, and Atkinson will almost certainly use combinations that would look different in a regular-season game.

The important part is getting the first look.

Cleveland spent training camp talking about chemistry, lineup flexibility, and fitting several new pieces around a core that reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Thursday night is the first chance to see what some of those ideas look like against another NBA team.