Georges Niang: Leads bench with 16 points Saturday

Niang, a four-year player at Iowa State, already looks like a second-round steal for the Pacers. After an impressive summer league, Niang has averaged 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 three-pointers in just 15.3 minutes per game in his three preseason appearances, while shooting 12-for-23 (52.1%) overall. Coach Nate McMillan has already indicated that he plans to open the regular season with a nine-man rotation that won’t include Niang, but the rookie could force his way into a consistent role if the injury bug hits or if he continues to excel during practices.