Toppin returns but doesn’t get much time vs. Brooklyn
Obi Toppin woke up to the to the surprising news that he was cleared to play for the first time in three weeks. But his Garden debut was cut short as coach Tom Thibodeau said he didn’t want to push his rookie without proper preparation.
Toppin, who missed the previous 10 games with a calf strain, logged less than a minute in the second quarter of Wednesday’s 116-109 defeat to the Nets. He never returned, even when the Nets opened up a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter.
“I was unsure if I was going to play him just because he hasn’t practiced and so I saw an opportunity where I thought I might be able to get him in for a couple minutes just to sort of shake some rust off and see where he is conditioning-wise,” Thibodeau said. “I didn’t like the matchups and we were getting pounded on the boards so I changed to get Julius (Randle) back in there just so we could get going.”
The hyped Knicks rookie hadn’t been active since re-aggravating the strain in the season opener, which turned into a 20-day absence. Earlier this week, Thibodeau warned Toppin’s return would require further patience as he progresses through different phases of contact in practices.
But Toppin was cleared for Wednesday’s showdown against Brooklyn without ever getting an opportunity to practice with teammates, only with coaches. The 22-yearold said after Wednesday’s morning shootaround that he’s comfortable playing despite the inactivity.
He acknowledged feeling “a little rusty” but also “really comfortable’.”
“I feel like I’m ready,” Toppin said. “Been doing a lot of workouts with some of the coaches and been getting a feel of what it would feel like to get in the game with some conditioning. So I feel really good and can’t wait to get on the floor with the guys.”
Toppin’s only regular-season action was Dec. 23 at Indianapolis, where he played 24 minutes and scored nine points on 4-of-12 shooting. He was among the betting favorites to win Rookie of the Year heading into the season.
Asked about the frustration of missing so many games, Toppin noted that he sat out a season at the University of Dayton as an academic redshirt.
“It hasn’t been difficult at all. Just like I did in college, I sat out a whole year. Having an opportunity to sit out, it helped me tremendously because I had a chance to understand what pace I need to play at, what things I need to work on, so knowing what each guy does and basically knowing what I have to do to help the team win,” he said. “I’ve been learning all of that throughout this process.”
Taj Gibson, a free-agent signing last week, was also available for the first time after clearing COVID protocols. But he didn’t play. Gibson, who played last season with the Knicks, called re-signing “a no-brainer.” He also has a long relationship with Thibodeau.
“When they gave me a call, I was very happy in understanding it’s a great opportunity to help the young guys and be around old faces,” Gibson said. “The coaching staff is great. It was a no-brainer.”