Obi Toppin saw the reception RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley received when they returned to the Garden last month, and expected the same from the former fan favorites.
The latter two former Knicks drew standing ovations and video tributes when they returned to the Raptors on Jan. 20 for the first time since being sent to Toronto in late December to sign OG Anunoby.
Toppin entered Thursday’s game six minutes into the first quarter and received only happy applause and no praise from fans, but he fell short of his former Knicks teammates.
“I hope it’s a good reaction, but for me, I’m really happy to be back here and to be able to play in this great arena again and to be back in front of these great fans. Just to have that opportunity. It’s a blessing,” Toppin told the Post before the Knicks’ 109-105 win over the Pacers. “I hope I can do what RJ and Quick did, but most of all I’m just happy to be back home.”
The Brooklyn native scored 12 points in 22 minutes, including a classic breakaway dunk in the second quarter.
Toppin spent three seasons with the Knicks after being selected with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 draft, but his playing time was sporadic, second only to three-time All-Star power forward Julius Randle. .
Toppin, 25, was traded to Indiana over the summer for two future second-round picks and started the first 28 games of the season before moving into a reserve role in December. This has been especially true since the Pacers acquired the former All-Star. January 17th, Toronto star Pascal Siakam.
The loss dropped the Pacers to 27 wins and 22 losses, but still placed them well enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
“I feel like our season is going very well. We’re a group of young guys who understand their role,” Toppin said. “We know how to play together and have fun outside.”
Toppin had already played against the Knicks on December 30, the day of the Anunoby trade.
During that game, the Knicks played with a short-handed roster, and Toppin’s younger brother, two-way Knicks rookie Jacob Toppin, also came on in the final minutes of the game, sharing the court with his brothers for the first time in the NBA.
Their mother attended the game, but Toppin expected more family members to attend Thursday’s contest, including their father.
he said: [Jacob] “He’ll be on the court with me,” he said at Indiana, but the score was so close that his younger brother was unable to play Thursday night.
