When the New York Knicks make their first postseason appearance in eight years on Sunday, rookie Obi Toppin may be on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time versus the Atlanta Hawks.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks will look to make a change at the backup power forward spot and give additional minutes to Taj Gibson. The move will give the team a veteran presence on the court as they open the first round of the playoffs.
Toppin has played sparingly with the Knicks, averaging just 11 minutes in 61 appearances this season. A calf injury suffered in the season opener forced him to miss the next 10 games, which slowed his development significantly to begin the year.
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Of course, rookies rarely play prominent roles during the playoffs as teams look to rely more on their veteran players. The news that Toppin likely won’t play much this postseason may not be all that surprising since he has been out of rotation much of the year.
The Knicks could certainly still use Toppin in spurts during the first round against the Hawks, but the eighth overall pick may not log heavy minutes to begin his first playoff run.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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