Hawks (1-0), Pelicans (0-2)
ATLANTA – Far more important than winning games in preseason, staying healthy is a No. 1 objective for every NBA team. Unfortunately for New Orleans, for the second time in a 24-hour span Monday, the Pelicans watched a frontcourt player leave the floor due to injury. They’ll hope that neither ailment is of any long-term concern.
After his 11-point, seven-rebound first half on the Georgia Tech campus, Julius Randle fell hard to the court after being fouled by Atlanta’s John Collins. Randle’s crash in the middle of the paint was exacerbated by him being off-balance, as he rose to try to shoot a layup.