Josh Hart, Obi Toppin to start for Knicks in Game 1
Tim Bontemps: The Knicks say Quentin Grimes is available, but that Josh Hart will remain in the starting lineup, while Obi Toppin will start in place of Julius Randle, who is out with his sprained ankle.
Source: Twitter @TimBontemps
Source: Twitter @TimBontemps
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Yaron Weitzman @YaronWeitzman
Josh Hart is great but he makes some wild decisions on the break – 3:00 PM
Josh Hart is great but he makes some wild decisions on the break – 3:00 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Obi Toppin is now 4-for-11 from 3-point range.
The rest of the Knicks? 2-for-19. – 2:55 PM
Obi Toppin is now 4-for-11 from 3-point range.
The rest of the Knicks? 2-for-19. – 2:55 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Obi Toppin takes and misses a one-legged stepback to end the 3rd quarter with Patrick Ewing watching courtside. – 2:50 PM
Obi Toppin takes and misses a one-legged stepback to end the 3rd quarter with Patrick Ewing watching courtside. – 2:50 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Potentially big swing moment: Miami probably should’ve had Jimmy Butler on the line for two free throws after yet another insane Kevin Love outlet pass. Instead, no call, followed by an Obi Toppin 3 and a Jalen Brunson runner, and New York is suddenly back within 2 again. – 2:42 PM
Potentially big swing moment: Miami probably should’ve had Jimmy Butler on the line for two free throws after yet another insane Kevin Love outlet pass. Instead, no call, followed by an Obi Toppin 3 and a Jalen Brunson runner, and New York is suddenly back within 2 again. – 2:42 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Another Knicks timeout: Kevin Love and Jimmy Butler connect like Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson for the Jets this season. Butler outjumps Obi Toppin and finishes in transition. Heat lead, 74-66, after trailing 12 in the first quarter – 2:36 PM
Another Knicks timeout: Kevin Love and Jimmy Butler connect like Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson for the Jets this season. Butler outjumps Obi Toppin and finishes in transition. Heat lead, 74-66, after trailing 12 in the first quarter – 2:36 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Kyle Lowry had a big influence on that 2nd quarter. This play caused a 5-point swing. He baited Josh Hart into losing the ball on the break (officially labeled a block for Lowry) and then he hit a 3 on the other end to make it a 5-point deficit for the Heat pic.twitter.com/5AUIKIaFA0 – 2:23 PM
Kyle Lowry had a big influence on that 2nd quarter. This play caused a 5-point swing. He baited Josh Hart into losing the ball on the break (officially labeled a block for Lowry) and then he hit a 3 on the other end to make it a 5-point deficit for the Heat pic.twitter.com/5AUIKIaFA0 – 2:23 PM
Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Josh Hart is doing a tremendous job so far trying to make life tough on Jimmy Butler. He just turned what looked to be an easy hit-ahead opportunity into a turnover. – 1:54 PM
Josh Hart is doing a tremendous job so far trying to make life tough on Jimmy Butler. He just turned what looked to be an easy hit-ahead opportunity into a turnover. – 1:54 PM
Steve Popper @StevePopper
Play that won’t make a highlight reel and will live in Knicks fans memories forever: outlet for a fast break and Josh Hart races to beat Butler to it, the ball going out off of Butler. This is Thibs dream. – 1:54 PM
Play that won’t make a highlight reel and will live in Knicks fans memories forever: outlet for a fast break and Josh Hart races to beat Butler to it, the ball going out off of Butler. This is Thibs dream. – 1:54 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Obi Toppin has played the first 16:48 of this game and he’s finally taking a breather on the bench. – 1:46 PM
Obi Toppin has played the first 16:48 of this game and he’s finally taking a breather on the bench. – 1:46 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Knicks were better than the Heat in every aspect of the first quarter in Game 1 and lead 32-21. Miami is shooting just 4-of-17 on poor quality threes. RJ Barrett has 11 early points. Josh Hart has Jimmy Butler in hell. What a start to this game. – 1:37 PM
The Knicks were better than the Heat in every aspect of the first quarter in Game 1 and lead 32-21. Miami is shooting just 4-of-17 on poor quality threes. RJ Barrett has 11 early points. Josh Hart has Jimmy Butler in hell. What a start to this game. – 1:37 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Hartenstein caps Adebayo, leads to an Obi Toppin 3 on the other end and 28-19 lead. – 1:33 PM
Hartenstein caps Adebayo, leads to an Obi Toppin 3 on the other end and 28-19 lead. – 1:33 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Josh Hart puts the clamps on Jimmy Butler on one end, drives by him and finished the layup on the other. The Hart-Butler matchup could determine this series.
So far, Hart has held Butler to just two points in the first quarter and has six points of his own. #Knicks – 1:25 PM
Josh Hart puts the clamps on Jimmy Butler on one end, drives by him and finished the layup on the other. The Hart-Butler matchup could determine this series.
So far, Hart has held Butler to just two points in the first quarter and has six points of his own. #Knicks – 1:25 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Josh Hart was always going to be great in playoff basketball.
He just needed a team to, you know, get him there. – 1:24 PM
Josh Hart was always going to be great in playoff basketball.
He just needed a team to, you know, get him there. – 1:24 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Heat seem to have chosen Obi Toppin as the Knicks defender to go after, keep drawing him into pick-and-rolls. Interesting wrinkle is when they try to draw Toppin up high with a non-Butler ballhandler only to get Jimmy Butler the ball in the post isolated on Josh Hart. – 1:20 PM
Heat seem to have chosen Obi Toppin as the Knicks defender to go after, keep drawing him into pick-and-rolls. Interesting wrinkle is when they try to draw Toppin up high with a non-Butler ballhandler only to get Jimmy Butler the ball in the post isolated on Josh Hart. – 1:20 PM
Stefan Bondy @SBondyNYDN
Even though Quentin Grimes is available, Josh Hart is starting for the Knicks.
Thibodeau said yesterday that Grimes will have a big role regardless – 12:23 PM
Even though Quentin Grimes is available, Josh Hart is starting for the Knicks.
Thibodeau said yesterday that Grimes will have a big role regardless – 12:23 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Randle is out and Grimes is back, but Josh Hart remains in the starting lineup at guard. Obi Toppin starting for Randle. – 12:20 PM
Randle is out and Grimes is back, but Josh Hart remains in the starting lineup at guard. Obi Toppin starting for Randle. – 12:20 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
The Knicks say Quentin Grimes is available, but that Josh Hart will remain in the starting lineup, while Obi Toppin will start in place of Julius Randle, who is out with his sprained ankle. – 12:20 PM
The Knicks say Quentin Grimes is available, but that Josh Hart will remain in the starting lineup, while Obi Toppin will start in place of Julius Randle, who is out with his sprained ankle. – 12:20 PM
Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
So looks like no Julius Randle for the Knicks
I’m guessing Obi Toppin in the starting unit?
Heat can actually do some different things defensively now
Love on Mitchell and possibly switch everything in other spots
Could see Bam on Brunson today off the switch… – 11:25 AM
So looks like no Julius Randle for the Knicks
I’m guessing Obi Toppin in the starting unit?
Heat can actually do some different things defensively now
Love on Mitchell and possibly switch everything in other spots
Could see Bam on Brunson today off the switch… – 11:25 AM
More on this storyline
Fred Katz: Josh Hart, while sitting next to Jalen Brunson, on if Brunson is a star player: “He’s undersized, overrated, overpaid.” He then came around and said he’s a star, turned to Jalen, patted him on the leg and said, “You’re an All-Star.” Jalen responded, “Don’t touch me.” -via Twitter @FredKatz / April 26, 2023
Fred Katz: Josh Hart on playing 47 minutes tonight: “I feel amazing.” -via Twitter @FredKatz / April 26, 2023
Michael Scotto: Josh Hart on Mitchell Robinson: “He showed this series why he’s one of the best bigs in the league. He was huge for us on the defensive end. He’s got to be the best rebounder in the league in terms of how he goes and gets the ball.” (MSG Network Knicks postgame interview) -via Twitter @MikeAScotto / April 26, 2023
Ian Begley: Julius Randle, sitting at the end of NYK’s bench in street clothes, seems fully engaged in Game 1. He’s been talking to teammates – including RJ Barrett & Obi Toppin – when they come out of the game. During the timeout, Randle spent time talking to Immanuel Quickley and Toppin -via Twitter @IanBegley / April 30, 2023
The Knicks have adopted this strategy because it directly takes Cleveland’s two best defenders, Allen and Evan Mobley, out of the action. And when the Cavs pressure Brunson, the defense is forced to scramble and rotate lead, creating advantages or offensive rebounding opportunities. With the Cavs sending two at Brunson in the play above, Hart short rolled to the basket and drew the attention of three Cavaliers defenders. He had options: throw a lob to Robinson at the rim, kick out to Obi Toppin in the corner, or hit a wide-open Barrett. Hart chose the simple pass to Barrett, who missed. But with the defense out of position, Hart was in a good spot to grab the board and find Brunson, who made a dagger 3-pointer. -via The Ringer / April 24, 2023
Toppin scored five points and added a season-high eight rebounds, five of them offensive boards. In his series-high 20 minutes, the Knicks outscored the Cavs by 11. “I thought Obi was terrific,” coach Tom Thibodeau said after the Knicks took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven, opening-round series. “He gave us energy, but he also gave us rebounding.” -via New York Post / April 24, 2023