Collier's absence painfully obvious

Forward Al Harrington has dedicated this season to Collier.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Atlanta Hawks set everything up as if Jason Collier were there, carefully hanging his uniform in an empty locker and setting out a chair for him. They plan to do that at every game this year, home or away.
But Collier's absence was painfully obvious Monday when the Hawks lost a preseason game to the Charlotte Bobcats.
The 28-year-old center died suddenly Saturday in his home.
"We have his stuff hanging up and I have an armband and put him on my shoes," Hawks forward Al Harrington said, pointing to the RIP JC 40 written on his sneakers, "but then you look up and he's not there. So it's weird and something we're going to have to deal with.
"No matter what, though, we're going to do our best to keep him with us this entire year."
The Hawks are just beginning the difficult healing process that comes with the loss of a popular teammate. Collier left behind a wife, young daughter and a lifetime of memories for his teammates.
"I don't think you guys realize sometimes how connected we really are in that locker room," said Harrington, who has dedicated his season to Collier. "We are a family. We lost a brother. The only consolation we have is that he left us making sure no one can ever say a bad thing about him, because Jason was such a good person."
History
The 7-foot Collier was a part-time starting center the last two seasons for Atlanta. He spent three years in Houston, and began his college career at Indiana before transferring to Georgia Tech.
Forsyth County Coroner Lauren McDonald III said his office is pulling Collier's medical records from the Rockets and Hawks and forwarding that information to the pathologist, but foul play is not suspected. Collier's family has asked that results of his autopsy be kept private until after Wednesday's funeral.
The Hawks have offered grief counselors to their players, and team chaplain Andrew Lang accompanied them on this two-game road trip.
Moments after shootaround ended Monday morning, several players gathered in a circle with Lang, arms interlocked and heads bowed in a prayer for Collier.
Atlanta coach Mike Woodson wants his team to use the next few days to bond and pull together in their time of grief. He took the first step by calling a team dinner at Morton's Steakhouse shortly after their plane touched down in Charlotte on Sunday night.
Appearing visibly drained 48 hours after learning of Collier's death, Woodson said the Hawks are still reeling.
"Times like these teach us to cherish every moment we have and be more appreciative of the people in our lives," Woodson said. "That's why I think it's important for our team to stay close together right now. We need to huddle around each other a little more than usual right now."
Still shaken
Woodson was so shaken that he had to abandon his pregame routine of watching the tape of the last game his team played against the upcoming opponent.
"This morning at our breakfast meeting we put on the tape and here's Jason running up and down the floor," Woodson said. "I told them to shut it off. I didn't want to show the guys that tape. We just had to prepare in other ways."
The Bobcats held a moment of silence for Collier before their early morning game -- tipoff was at 10 a.m. as part of a reward program for students across the Carolinas who earned the right to attend through good grades and attendance -- then the Hawks took the court with a permanent black shoulder patch on their jerseys.
Their minds seemed to be wandering at the start. The Hawks turned the ball over on their first three possessions until Harrington ended the drought with a dunk. The Hawks lost the game 94-88.
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