To be fair, it was against the Washington Wizards.
Even so, "Bang Bang" Niang wasted no time making an impact for his new team. Georges Niang made his Atlanta Hawks debut on Saturday and was immediately inserted into the starting lineup. After starting one game in 51 appearances for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Niang is 1-for-1 starting for the Hawks.
Georges Niang had a strong debut
That came as a result of the Hawks' current dearth of forward options after losing Jalen Johnson and trading away De'Andre Hunter. Yet Niang took full advantage of the opportunity, playing 26 minutes and scoring 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the field and 4-for-7 shooting from 3-point range.
Far from a one-trick pony, Niang was not simply a spot-up shooter. He was active on the glass, grabbing six rebounds, and dished three assists, a number he eclipsed just once all season for the Cavaliers. Most impressively, he racked up three steals
Niang is not known as an elite defensive player, or honestly even an average one. He plays hard, an underrated skill that has allowed him to stick around in NBA rotations for so long despite below-average athleticism. Yet for him to make impact defensive plays is a rarity.
Niang shooting that thang 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Mh7I7E9Z7Y
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) February 9, 2025
Over his final four games in a Cavaliers uniform, Niang didn't accrue a single steal. In fact, Saturday's game for the Hawks was his first game all season that he had multiple steals. And he had three! Finishing a +18 for the game, it was a standout performance for the G-Wagon in his very first game.
Niang will have opportunities moving forward
It would not be surprising to see Niang play a significant role in Atlanta moving forward over the rest of the season. He is reunited with the head coach who gave him his start in the league, Quin Snyder, on a team that is extremely thin at the forward position. Niang has long been underrated for his impact on winning, as he showed on the Cavaliers, and Snyder will understand that more than most.
The Cavaliers will miss Niang in the short-term at the very least, as they are without Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro likely through the rest of the week, and Max Strus is questionable heading into tonight's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Cleveland traded two rotation players for one and now have to deal with that hit to their depth.
Caris LeVert also made his debut for the Atlanta Hawks, finishing a more pedestrian 2-for-6 from the field with nine points, five fouls and a -7 against the Wizards. Atlanta will also be hoping he can provide more consistent impact as the team's Sixth Man moving forward as the jockey to be on the right side of the Play-In Bracket.
It is not out of the question that the Cavaliers will share a court with Niang in the playoffs - but this time as opposite teams in the 1-v-8 matchup. It seems like the Minivan will continue playing a key role for the Hawks moving forward, spreading his wings in a way he couldn't on the Cavaliers.