Obi Toppin was born in Brooklyn and attended high school in upstate Ossining, but he never envisioned one day having his name chanted at Madison Square Garden in a playoff game as it was a few times during the first round against the Cavaliers.
“That s–t is crazy. It’s OG,” Toppin said Saturday, referring to the slang term for original. “Yeah, it’s a great feeling.”
Toppin and the rest of the Knicks will get continued chances to hear their names reverberate through MSG on Sunday when they face the Heat with home-court advantage in the franchise’s first second-round appearance since 2013.
The 25-year-old Toppin could make his first career playoff start if Julius Randle is unable to play after he reinjured his sprained left ankle just before halftime of Game 5 against the Cavaliers.
Toppin contributed 12 points in the third quarter of the Knicks’ series-clinching win in Cleveland — with two made 3-point baskets and multiple dunks.
Randle officially is listed as questionable for Game 1 against Miami, but he didn’t participate in practice Saturday in Tarrytown.
“We are preparing exactly the same,” Toppin said. “Everybody, we are all going to do the same exact thing whether Julius plays or he doesn’t play. We don’t know exactly what his status is right now. But whatever the coaches need all of us to do …
“I feel like we understand and know what to do once we get out on the floor.”
Coach Tom Thibodeau said he believes Toppin benefited from averaging 31.8 minutes per game over the final five games of the regular season, when Randle was first sidelined with the ankle issue.
Toppin posted 21.8 points per appearance over those five starts.
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“Whatever the coach’s decision is when I’m out there on the floor, I know what I gotta do when I get out there,” Toppin said. “Just like everyone else, I have to go out there and work hard and have fun.
“I feel like I did a pretty job [in Game 5], not only myself, but everybody did a good job for us to get out of the first round. But we are worried about Miami now. That’s in the past and we have to continue to keep working.”
Toppin, the eighth overall selection in the 2020 draft out of Dayton, has had to fight for minutes over his first three NBA seasons.
He has made just 15 starts in 201 career regular-season games, plus 10 more appearances off the bench in postseason play.
“One, he’s playing behind an All-Star [in Randle], so that’s always going to be tough. But whenever he gets his minutes, gets his opportunity, you see what he can do,” teammate RJ Barrett said Saturday. “He’s been very good, especially the beginning of that third [quarter] the other day. That was huge for us and really helped us keep the lead.”
Toppin said his favorite Knicks player growing up in the area was Carmelo Anthony.
There also is a photo on the internet of Toppin wearing a Latrell Sprewell jersey as a child that he received one year for Christmas.
“Melo definitely for the Knicks, but Kobe [Bryant] was my favorite player,” Toppin said.
As for the Knicks-Heat rivalry, Toppin said that Thibodeau has talked “strictly about what we have to do” beginning in Game 1.
He has been scouring YouTube looking up old highlights, but Toppin was unaware of the brawl in which then-coach Jeff Van Gundy latched onto Miami center Alonzo Mourning’s leg in 1998.
“I’m gonna go searching now,” Toppin added.
Whether he starts or continues to come off the bench, Toppin said he’s “super excited” for his first time in the second round and more chances to play at MSG.
“It’s playoff basketball in the Mecca. Like I said we have the best fans in the country, so every chance we get to step out on that floor, we want to get them involved,” Toppin said. “I don’t think it’s really hit me yet, but I definitely feel the love and the energy when we are out there.
“I definitely hear it and show my love to everyone. It’s a new series and we have to get back out there.”
