Expected contending teams in the upcoming season will face against each other Friday as the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Pelicans collide at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
The Hawks had a huge win in their first game of the preseason Wednesday, gaining edge over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cincinnati, Ohio, 98–96.
Leading the way for Atlanta was All-Star point guard Jeff Teague who tallied 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 21 minutes of action.
Aiding him in offense are fellow starters forward Al Horford and guard Kent Bazemore who scored 15 and 12 points respectively.
Center Walter Tavares also provided extra help on offense as he had 11 points off the bench.
Leading the Cavs was guard J.R. Smith who scored 15 points. Star forward LeBron James played but only had eight points in 21 minutes of action, although he also recorded seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
The Hawks were the top team in the Eastern Conference last season entering the playoffs but were swept by Cleveland in the conference finals.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans are also coming off a win in their preseason opener as they defeated the Indiana Pacers 110–105 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis last Saturday.
Budding forward Anthony Davis, who signed a huge five-year, $145 million extension contract last July, proved he is worthy of the new deal as he led the charge for the Pelicans.
Davis scored 18 points, also having eight rebounds and one assist playing for just 16 minutes.
Guard Eric Gordon and forward Luke Babbitt added 16 points each to help New Orleans seal the win.
The Pelicans made it to the playoffs last season but were unable to match the Golden State Warriors getting swept in the first round.
The game between the Hawks and Pelicans will be this Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. EST. To watch via live stream, click here.
