Knicks vs. Pacers Preview: How, Who to Watch as Obi Toppin Returns

The New York Knicks will welcome in old friend Obi Toppin and the Indiana Pacers as they look to extend their winning streak.

As the New York Knicks prepare to run into their ex, things will be anything but awkward.

The Knicks will welcome back 2020 first-round pick Obi Toppin back to Madison Square Garden on Thursday night when his new employers, the Indiana Pacers, help continue the Knicks' lasting homestand. Toppin will look to topple the Knicks' eight-game winning streak, the longest active tally in the NBA and one short of the longest any team has posted this season. It'll be the first time Toppin takes to Manhattan hardwood a summer trade for spare draft picks sent him to Indianapolis.

Indiana is the last team to truly get the best of the Knicks, dealing them a 140-126 defeat back on Dec. 30, New York's last game before embarking on a 14-win January. That victorious month ended with a 118-103 win over the Utah Jazz, the latter of consecutive wins that have come with OG Anunoby and Julius Randle on the injured list. The Pacers' prior win does come with a bit of an asterisk, as the Knicks were shorthanded after the Anunoby deal.

Nonetheless, Indiana has made a high-profile addition of its own, trading for another former Toronto Raptor, Pascal Siakam. All-Star Game starter-to-be Tyrese Haliburton also returned to the lineup on Tuesday after missing 10 of his prior 11 with a hamstring injury.

Thursday will be the first of a two-game set between the Knicks and Pacers at MSG this month, with a rematch scheduled for Feb. 10. Indiana will go for its first sweep of the Knicks since the 2018-19 campaign.

What: Indiana Pacers (27-21) @ New York Knicks (31-17)

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

When/Watch: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG

Who's Favored: NYK -3

Keep An Eye On: Josh Hart

Stationed in the Knicks' lineup with the Anunoby and Randle ailments, Hart has a chance to solve his identity crisis. Knicks management appears to view him as the backup power forward they failed to find over the offseason, even though Hart himself insists his skills are best used in the backcourt. He's coming off a unique triple-double, putting up 10 assists, points, and rebounds each in the win over the Jazz, but his focus was on his outside shooting, or lack thereof (going 4-of-23 over the past six). With the man Hart supposedly replaced returning to MSG, the pressure's on him to continue justifying the Toppin deal 

Instagram: @obitoppin_1

Pacer to Watch: Obi Toppin

What did you expect? While the Knicks have undoubtedly looked much better since trading homegrown franchise faces like Toppin, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley, the current Pacer is the one name they've truly struggled to replace. From his own perspective, the timing of Toppin's reunion couldn't be better: with Randle down, the Knicks' failure to shore up their spell options is on prominent display. It's been a rollercoaster campaign for Toppin, who has been removed from the Pacers' starting five, but he has flourished as a depth star, averaging 12.5 points and six rebounds in his last four.

They Said It

“I think our guys are playing hard. They’re defending, they’re rebounding. They’re sharing the ball. They’re playing smart, they’re playing tough. I think that goes a long way. They’re bringing the best out of each other, but we still have a long way to go.”-head coach Tom Thibodeau on the Knicks' defense (h/t Peter Botte, New York Post)

WATCH: Obi, Jacob Toppin Reunite in Knicks-Pacers Game

Prediction

Are the Pacers the Knicks' kryptonite? Time will tell, but it gives the Knicks a nice little test to open February and prove that their scorching January was sustainable or that it's a sign of a new normal. Adding Siakam to the mix, as well as getting Haliburton back, will further bolster the profile of Thursday's game, which could well serve as a potential playoff series preview. The Knicks will be eager to make a statement, especially with their old pal Toppin in tow. Like so many other occasions this season, expect them to pull it off, especially with modern relative history on the line.

Knicks 119, Pacers 117