Cavs’ Georges Niang Records Third 20-Point Game Of Season In Win Over 76ers

The Cleveland forward scored a game-high 25 points in the team’s 117-114 victory over Philadelphia on Friday night.

The Cleveland Cavaliers earned their 45th win of the season with a 117-114 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

While Evan Mobley drained a game-winning three-pointer with 28.2 seconds remaining, another offensive performance helped drive the Wine and Gold to their latest triumph.

Georges Niang scored a game-high 25 points off the bench for Cleveland, shooting an impressive 10-for-14 (71.4%) from the field and 5-for-8 (62.5%) from three-point range. His five triples tied a season-high.

This was his third 20-point game of the season, and his second-most points in a game this season. The forward’s only stronger performance came back on January 17, when he scored a career-high 33 points in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Mar 29, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang (20) shoots over the defense of Philadelphia 76ers guard Kyle Lowry (7) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday night, Niang did not add any rebounds or assists to his 25 points. 

According to Stathead, he became the third player in Cavaliers franchise history to score at least 25 points with zero rebounds and zero assists in a regular-season or postseason game. Kyrie Irving achieved the feat with 26 points on November 17, 2012, and J.R. Smith did so with 27 points on January 8, 2016.

After scoring a team-high 13 points in the first half, Niang played for just five minutes in the third quarter, scoring two points by draining his only field goal attempt.

But the 30-year-old delivered when the Wine and Gold needed him most. He tied Mobley with a game-high 10 points in the fourth quarter, shooting 4-for-5 (80%) from the field and converting both of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Up next, Cleveland will begin a five-game Western Conference road trip with a matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.