The Cavaliers have traded in their minivan for a G-Wagon. A 33-point game certainly calls for an upgraded nickname.
Georges Niang is proving to be a somewhat unheralded offseason addition — at least to many outside the Cavs locker room — as he's grown into his role off the bench, and Wednesday night exploded for a career-high 33 points on a near-perfect shooting night.
He was a clean 8 for 8 from the floor in the first half and ended up missing only one shot in the Cavs' blowout win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
He had been stuck on 24 points as his career high in a single game for years. And he was aware of it. Then he blew past that mark against the Bucks.
'You quit or you fight': The red-hot Cavs have found their blueprint for the playoffs in the unlikeliest of times
But he acknowledged that momentum in the NBA can shift quickly. So after a brief celebration, it's back to work.
"I'm no fool to this game. You've got to have amnesia, even when you have good games," he said Wednesday night. "This is awesome. I'm super happy. But we have a huge stretch of games coming up the rest of the month."
Niang was signed in the offseason, partially at the urging of Donovan Mitchell , to help space the floor as a shooting threat. But he's been more than simply a spot-up shooter on the offensive end, feeding into the Cavs' recent focus on movement and spacing .
Max Strus was the marquee offseason addition, but Niang has been crucial player off the bench and a reason why the Cavs have caught fire as of late.
"It's great to see because I've seen the progression, as he's seen mine," Mitchell said, referencing the history he has with Niang over the years. "We all love G. We all love his energy. … It's great to see someone I consider not just a teammate, but a friend since I first got into the league and [someone who] has been a helpful influence on my career."
Browns to the Cavs: J.B. Bickerstaff applauded the Browns' response to injuries while Cavs grind through it
Niang might have earned a new nickname in the process.
During an Q&A the Cavs have shown on the video board during games, Niang noted he earned the nickname "Minivan" because he was told by a coach he needed a few laps around the block to get up to speed. The Cavs joked after Wednesday's game that it might need to change to G-Wagon.
"I think he's upgraded to G-Wagon, I really do," said Jarrett Allen , laughing. "But you can't get rid of the roots. He's still a minivan at heart."
Regardless of what he's called, the Cavs signed a three-year lease with Niang. And if they need to put some extra miles on him while he's in Cleveland , they're likely just fine with that.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs' Georges Niang scores career-high 33 points, earns new nickname
