Search through highlight reels featuring eight-point performances from virtually any player of your choosing, and it’s unlikely to rival that of what Obi Toppin offered during Game One of 2025’s Eastern Conference Finals. Must-see TV on his every field goal make, the former Knick-turned-Pacer saved his absolute best for overtime, starting with a ferocious putback hammer on his teammate’s misfired 3-pointer to put Indiana ahead with 54 seconds remaining. A half-minute later, with the Indiana Pacers eager to ice their one-point advantage, Toppin secures the series-opener in style, powering through an audacious double-clutch jam to stun the New York Knicks’ crowd. In between those jams and an acrobatic around-the-rim layup, Toppin left the highlight reels blessed, mixing style and substance in an eight-point, 10-rebound, one-steal evening on May 21, 2025. Toppin became one of eight different Pacers to average at least eight points per game during the series, a team-oriented domination that ultimately stamped a trip to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. · May 21, 2025