Cavs starting lineup: Dion Waiters, Alonzo Gee will start in opener vs. Wizards

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie shooting guard Dion Waiters and third-year small forward Alonzo Gee have cracked the starting lineup for the team's regular season opener, according to comments made by head coach Byron Scott after practice on Monday.

Waiters and Gee join Anderson Varejao, Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving to round out the Cavs starting lineup that will open regular-season play on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards. With Gee in the starting five, seven-year veteran C.J. Miles has been relegated to the role of sixth man.

The start will be Waiters' first since high school. The 20-year-old spent two years coming off the bench for the Syracuse Orange before being taken by the Cavs in the fourth round of the 2012 NBA Draft. He struggled early in the preseason, shooting just 34 percent from the field, but made great strides during the final week and impressed Scott.

Scott told Ohio.com:

"That starting lineup will give us a lot of energy. We have a couple guys who can score. 'Zo did a great job in the preseason, especially on the defensive end. It gives us a better balance."

Tipoff for Tuesday's season opener at Quicken Loans Arena is slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio.