Knicks face former 1st round pick Obi Toppin in 2nd round vs. Pacers: ‘We always felt he was a good player’ | Zendytimes.com

Obi Toppin, we meet again.

The Knicks drafted Toppin pinch nan No. 8 prime successful nan 2020 NBA Draft, only to trade him to nan Indiana Pacers for a brace of second-round picks past summer.

And pinch nan Knicks advancing to nan 2nd information of nan playoffs aft powering done nan Philadelphia 76ers successful Round 1, they will now spot their erstwhile high-flying guardant logging minutes for a Pacers squad that defeated nan Milwaukee Bucks successful six games successful nan first round.

“We ever felt he was a bully player,” Knicks caput coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters aft believe astatine nan Tarrytown training installation connected Saturday. “I don’t deliberation thing has changed.”

Toppin changeable 40.6% from 3 during nan regular play successful his first twelvemonth pinch nan Pacers, six percent amended than his champion play pinch nan Knicks (34.4%) and 8 percent amended than his mean complete nan 3 years he spent successful New York (32.5 %).

His averages of 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.6 steals per crippled are each career-highs, and he appeared successful each 82 games for nan Pacers this season, starting 28 of them.

“He’s very athletic, runs nan level great, shoots nan ball, tin people nan ball, has ever been a talented scorer,” Thibodeau said. “And for illustration I said, we loved having him.”

Toppin couldn’t unafraid a larger domiciled successful New York because All-Star guardant Julius Randle played nan lion’s stock of nan minutes astatine nan four.

“He was successful a business present wherever he was playing down Julius,” Thibodeau said. “That was nan communicative down that.”

The spry erstwhile Knick now comes disconnected nan chair successful Indiana, wherever nan Pacers traded for perennial All-Star guardant Pascal Siakam.

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Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton were teammates connected Team USA’s 2024 FIBA World Cup team. Brunson said he has tons of respect for Haliburton aft Thursday’s believe successful Tarrytown.

“Great player. Didn’t really cognize him until — I knew of him, we met a mates times, but we didn’t go friends until past summer,” he said. “Great guy, awesome family. He became 1 of my friends done nan acquisition past summer. I person each nan respect successful nan world for him and nan measurement he plays nan game. He conscionable goes retired there, plays nan correct measurement and does what he has to do.”

Haliburton earned a spot connected Team USA’s 2024 Paris Olympic roster. Brunson was named 1 of 28 finalists but was near disconnected nan roster.

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Asked if he would see expanding nan Knicks’ rotation to combat nan Pacers’ gait of play, Thibodeau said, pinch a smile: “We could.”

The Knicks were already short Randle (dislocated shoulder) entering nan first information against nan 76ers. They past mislaid Bojan Bogdanovic for nan remainder of nan play owed to a ft injury

Mitchell Robinson is besides playing pinch an ankle injury. Precious Achiuwa has already been successful nan rotation, but Alec Burks, who has not played immoderate playoff minutes, could beryllium successful play pinch Bogdanovic out.

“Well you’ve gotta look astatine who they’re playing arsenic well,” Thibodeau said. “So they’ve trim backmost [on their rotation], truthful it’s each astir matchups.”