The New York Knicks are coming off an impressive win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday evening, in which they held their opponent to just 81 points. The Knicks finished with 102, and while they would like to be a bit more defensively proficient, their defense continues to be a focal point under head coach Tom Thibodeau.
In the victory, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley lead the charge with 24 and 25 points, respectively. Quickley has emerged as a catalyst for New York on offense, but eighth overall pick Obi Toppin could take a bit more time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NBA.
Toppin finished the game with just 13 minutes of action, scoring five and recording three rebounds. His influence has been minimal at best, as he continues to work on his defensive prowess and find reasons to earn more playing minutes.
However, Thibodeau is slowly understanding what Toppin’s strengths really are, as he made one interesting prediction for him after the win over Cleveland.
“I think [the three-point shot] will be a big part of his game. He’s got that skill set,†Thibodeau said. “I thought he played really well yesterday. I thought our bench gave us a big lift, but I thought he played with a lot of poise yesterday. I thought he shot the ball when he was open and he should have shot the ball and he passed the ball when he should have passed, and I thought he made quick decisions.â€
The New York Knicks are taking it slow with Obi:
Toppin has interestingly taken more three-pointers than he usually did in college, despite the line being a few more feet back. He is attempting 2.1 attempts per game but averaging just 12.5 minutes per. As he gets more comfortable on the floor and improves his shooting, Obi should be a force from all spots, but his jerky nature won’t make him a finesse player that can rise above defenders and shoot adequately. The Knicks need to have a more transition based offenses, which activates Toppin running the floor and using his dynamic athleticism to make plays. As stated before, though, he is still adapting to the NBA, and it will take some time before we see his true potential. Luckily, his draft partner in Quickley has played well enough for both of them.
Thibodeau also went on to say that Toppin has improved defensively, which was a major weakness of his going into the season.
“And I think he’s making great strides defensively, which I think is critical for him and for us.â€