Obi Toppin is doing his best to avoid making more money by playing against his former team on the big stage.
Sure, it’s exciting to return home to face the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but the team’s former first-round pick doesn’t view it as a personal battle.
“I feel like I’m preparing myself just like I did in Milwaukee,” Toppin said Saturday, referring to the first-round series that the Pacers won in six games. “I just do my part and do everything the coaches tell me to do offensively and defensively.”
Last summer, the Knicks traded Toppin, who attended Ossining High School in West Chester and starred at Dayton, for two future second-round picks.
He responded with a solid season at Indiana. The athletic, high-flying 6-foot-9 Toppin averaged career highs in points (10.3), rebounds (3.9), assists (1.6) and minutes played (21.1). He also set a career-best 3-point shooting percentage of 40.3 percent, and had a great performance with 21 points and 8 rebounds in the shutout win over the Bucks. Toppin started 28 games for the Pacers, but was a key part of the second unit, a role he held during his three years with the Knicks.
“We always thought he was a good player,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I don’t think anything has changed. Very athletic, can run the floor well, shoot the ball, score the ball. He’s always been able to score. As I said earlier. Like, we loved having him. He was in a situation here playing behind Julius. [Randle]. That was the story behind it. ”
Randle is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery and will be on the sidelines for the series.
This is also something of a family issue for Toppin. His younger brother, Jacob, plays for the Knicks but rarely appears on the court. Jacob played in nine games for the Knicks this year. So it should be an easy decision for his parents, Loni and Obadiah, as to who to root for.
“Jacob isn’t playing, so I’ll probably play,” Obi said with a smile.
