The Atlanta Hawks grabbed their first win of the young season on Friday. They completed a 14-point comeback en route to the impressive win without Kristaps Porziņģis (flu-like symptoms) and Zaccharie Risacher (ankle). Trae Young masterfully closed out the game in the fourth quarter, but an easily overlooked hero had a huge impact on Atlanta’s victory: Mouhamed Gueye.
The third-year forward/center finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two 3-pointers, and a block in 30 minutes. His performance, especially defensively, showed why he needs to be a mainstay in the Hawks’ rotation.
Mouhamed Gueye Gives Hawks Big Lift In Win Over Magic
Gueye Takes Advantage of His Opportunity
Gueye played just five minutes of garbage time in Atlanta’s first game against the Toronto Raptors. However, Porziņģis’ absence opened up a spot in the frontcourt two nights later. On top of this, Onyeka Okongwu picked up two fouls in the first two minutes of the contest. Head coach Quin Snyder immediately subbed in Gueye, and the third-year player did not disappoint.
His presence as a rebounder, versatile defender, and weakside shot blocker paid dividends for the Hawks.
Major Mo SWAT to a Nickeil Euro bucket pic.twitter.com/EtTHsXXhiI
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 24, 2025
Gueye, along with Jalen Johnson, who also had foul trouble, guarded Paolo Banchero for much of the contest. Atlanta held Orlando’s star forward to just 11 points on 4-15 shooting with one assist. Gueye’s length and lateral quickness at 6 feet, 11 inches bothered Banchero throughout the game. He has given the Hawks a strong defensive boost throughout his career.
In contrast, questions arise when talking about the offensive side of the ball. Gueye shot 25.9% on 2.5 attempts from 3-point range last season and can struggle to read the floor with the right pass. However, this was not the case against the Magic. In fact, Gueye was the only Hawks player to hit multiple 3-pointers in the contest. Atlanta went just 8-29 from beyond the arc as a team, but he shot 2-5. His strong outside shooting was crucial to keep him from becoming an offensive liability.
Mo Gueye is everywhere!! pic.twitter.com/Zr2XFSoHX3
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 25, 2025
Gueye finished with a team-high +21 in the plus-minus category. The next closest was Luke Kennard with +11.
Gueye Needs a Bigger Role, Even When the Hawks Are Healthy
The Hawks had a disastrous defensive performance against Toronto on opening night. They gave up 138 points, including a shocking 86 paint points and 34 fastbreak tallies, with a fully healthy roster. They flipped that script against the Magic, limiting them to 107 points, including 52 in the paint.
Gueye played a significant role in the effort with his rim protection, and the numbers and eye test indicate that he needs more consistent playing time. Atlanta had a 69.2 defensive rating against Orlando when Dyson Daniels and Gueye shared the floor. Their ability to guard multiple positions played a huge part in slowing down Orlando’s big frontcourt.
The Hawks face the Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back on Saturday, and they will be shorthanded once again. Atlanta lists Risacher (ankle) out, while Johnson (ankle) and Porziņģis are questionable. Expect Gueye to play a major role against Isaiah Hartenstein and/or Chet Holmgren (back), as the Hawks try to pull off the upset against the defending champions.
© Mike Watters-Imagn Images
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