Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin ready to battle old squad New York Knicks in second round of NBA playoffs

Toppin and the Pacers start a series with the Knicks tonight

Dec 30, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) and New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) fight for the ball. / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — One year ago today, Obi Toppin played for nearly 17 minutes in the New York Knicks Game 3 loss to the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. Tonight, he will suit up for the Indiana Pacers as they kick off a second-round postseason series — and the Knicks will be their opponent.

New York dropped that 2023 series to Miami 4-2, and Toppin was traded to Indiana in July for two second-round draft picks. This year, either Toppin or the Knicks will move on to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the now-Pacers forward knows both franchises well.

"I feel like New York has always had the identity of being a very physical team. Obviously, they are one of the best teams in rebounding," Toppin said after his team practiced over the weekend. "That's something we're going to have to focus on. They're just a physical team, and we gotta match that physicality."

Toppin spent the first three seasons of his career in New York, and he was born in Brooklyn. He understands The Big Apple and the ethos of the Knicks better than most. His younger brother, Jacob, currently plays for the team.

Last summer, as the Knicks juggled their finances and roster, they traded Obi to the Pacers. He didn't have a spot in New York's rotation anymore, and there would be more opportunity for the former lottery pick forward in Indiana. The assets made more sense being swapped.

That led to a career year for the Dayton product. Toppin averaged 10.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game this season, both career highs, and his minutes per game climbed thanks to his improvements as a shooter (40.3% from long range). He became a great fit for the Pacers.

Now, he'll try to show off those improvements in the postseason against a marquee franchise, and the one he played for in the first three years of his career.

"We've just got to lock in to our main thing and play our type of basketball," Toppin said of the keys for the Pacers in the series. He scored a team-high 21 points in Game 6 of Indiana's first round series-clinching win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Toppin, both due to his upbringing and years with the Knicks, has met most of the celebrities that sit courtside for games in Madison Square Garden during the playoffs. It creates quite the scene, and he'll have to help his teammates stay focused. "We understand what type of crowd is going to be there. Celebrities are going to be there," he said.

But the 26-year old is preparing for the series in the same way he did against the Bucks. Just because it's a battle with his former team featuring the bright lights of New York doesn't mean Toppin is going to change his approach. He proved in the first round that his current process of getting ready for a game, and a series, is strong.

To Toppin, a key for the Pacers against the hard-playing Knicks will be matching their physicality. New York was one of the best teams on the offensive glass throughout the regular season as well as in the first round of the playoffs, so boxing out and equaling that force in other aspects of the game will be crucial.

Slowing down Jalen Brunson as much as possible will also be important. The All-Star guard averaged nearly 29 points per game this season and reached 35.5 points and 9.0 assists per game in the first round of the postseason. Nobody had figured out how to stop him, but making his life difficult will be vital.

"[Brunson] is a great player... I knew he was going to be this type of player," Toppin shared. They were teammates last season, and the Pacers forward thinks his team will have to lock in on defense to deter the star guard. He does all the right things for New York.

Toppin will be a central figure in this series, both from a storyline perspective and because of his play on the court. He will be paramount in the frontcourt battle against a Knicks team that is shallow due to injuries. If he can get out and run and finish plays, Toppin will have a big impact on the series.

His parents will take it all in since Toppin is battling his brother, though Jacob is not eligible to suit up for a game since he is on a two-way contract. That makes it easy for Obi to identify who his parents will cheer for. "Jacob's not playing, so probably me," he said. Those two battled during the regular season and shared the hardwood.

They won't in this best-of-seven set, but Obi Toppin will play and try to topple his former team in a series for the first time.

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