Cameras caught Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin daring a New York Knicks fan to come fight him after Wednesday night’s stunning comeback win.
The Pacers trailed by 17 points in the fourth quarter, and later by nine points with under a minute remaining. New York looked poised to walk out of Madison Square Garden up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Obi Toppin and the visitors had other ideas.
Indiana managed to cut the deficit to two, with Tyrese Haliburton making an improbable basket at the buzzer to force overtime. Indiana went on to win 138-135, completing one of the most stunning comebacks in NBA postseason history.
After the game, a fan video caught a Knicks fan exchanging words with Obi Toppin as he made his way to the locker room. The heckler told Toppin the Knicks, “Got rid of you for a reason,” prompting an epic response from the latter.
“I’m at the Ritz NoMad, pull up,” Toppin told the fan.
“I’m at the Ritz NoMad, pull up”
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) May 22, 2025
Obi Toppin isn’t ducking any smoke from Knicks fans @BarstoolNYC pic.twitter.com/RVeJ0AKyJq
As Toppin is a professional athlete listed at 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, it’s a good thing that the fan didn’t accept the challenge. He’ll just have to sit back and hope the Knicks can do the rest of the talking on his behalf.
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Toppin played 20 minutes in Game 1, finishing with eight points and 10 rebounds. Game 2 is set for Friday at 8:00 p.m. EST at Madison Square Garden.
Obi Toppin Spent His First Three Seasons With Knicks
The Knicks selected Toppin eighth overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, four spots before Tyrese Haliburton. In his three years with the Knicks, Toppin played 201 games and averaged 7.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.
But the move to Indiana has suited Toppin well. He’s averaged double-digit points over his first two seasons here and helped them to consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances.
Also Read: Will Jalen Brunson Play Against The Indiana Pacers in Game 2? Latest Injury Update On Knicks Star
