Tristan Thompson starts for Cavs in Game 1

Tristan Thompson, not Jeff Green, will start for the Cavaliers in Game 1. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue announced the decision at his pregame availability before Thursday’s game.

The move keeps the starting lineup the Cavs used for most of the Eastern Conference Finals — aside from Game 7 when Green started in place of the injured Kevin Love — intact. Love is also will play in Game 1.

There was so thought that the Cavs would start Green to guard Warriors forward Kevin Durant instead of having LeBron James do it, but it appears that will not be the case at least to start. It also means that Larry Nance Jr. is likely to remain in the Cavs’ rotation after he played well towards the end of the Eastern Conference Finals.

It is possible that Lue will adjust the lineup after Game 1 in some way, but for now, he’s going with Love and Thompson up front with James at small forward and George Hill and and J.R. Smith at the guard spots.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr declined to announce his starting lineup.