The 2021-22 season didn't end the way the Knicks wanted, but Sunday's season finale was quite a good portend for the future, as Immanuel Quickley had a monster triple-double and Obi Toppin had a game-high 42 points in a 105-94 win over the Raptors at MSG.
Quickley's 34 was second on the team in scoring, but he also added 12 assists and 10 boards for his second career triple-double, the first of which came last Sunday in a reserve role in Orlando. The 10 rebounds tied his career high, and the point total this Sunday made him the youngest Knick to score 30 in a triple-double effort, surpassing one Walt "Clyde" Frazier.
As for Toppin, he played a game high 40:05 of court time, and added 10 boards, three assists, and a block, but perhaps the most impressive part was that his 42 points included 6-for-11 shooting behind the arc.
And apparently, those pop-offs were planned as the two rode to MSG on Sunday morning – despite, as Quickley noted, Toppin's "bad driving."
"We were coming to the game today, and he was like, 'I'm about to go crazy tonight,'" Quickley said. "I was like, I'm about to go crazy too, so I guess we both going crazy! He wasn't saying that type of stuff earlier in the season, so for him to say stuff like that, that's when I know Obi is feeling himself."
"Me and Quick were looking at each other, and we were like, 'let's do something special tonight,'" Toppin added. "We needed to help Quick get the triple-double, and he wanted to help me get 40…to have the opportunity to do what we did here was amazing."
Tom Thibodeau used just an eight-man rotation in the season finale, playing four of his five starters for at least 39 minutes (Evan Fournier played 32:39), and Quickley and Toppin took advantage.
Toppin set or tied his career high in points for the fourth time in five games – he had his first two career 20-point games last Saturday and Sunday, then dropped 35 Friday – and his 10 boards were one short of his career high.
Quickley, meanwhile, entered Sunday only once having even dropped 30 in a game – 32 on Jan. 24, 2021 – and never double-digit assists in a game prior to last Sunday's triple-double. He's had 10 dimes now in three of the last five games, though – the two of which that were triple-doubles marking two of his career 10-board games – and Sunday's career-high in minutes certainly brought the production once again.
Over their two years in New York, they've become fast friends – and are now, heading into 2022-23, the two former first-round picks are looking like potential cornerstones for the Knicks, thanks to a work ethic that never wavered despite uncertain playing time at various points.
"I hold myself to a high standard and push myself in the gym every day, but we have great teammates who push us to do that and get better every day," Toppin said. "Having a brother like Quick, he's in the gym at 2 a.m. sometimes, and he'll call me and tell me he needs me to come. Having a guy like that with you, who works hard every day to hone is craft…that's great. To help a team be successful, you need a guy like that."
And, based on this interaction as the pair switched off for their post-game interviews, they're loving life right now, too.
It's a strong finish for hopefully a strong future, as the Knicks enter an offseason of flux. The team clearly regressed in Thibs' second year at the helm, finishing 37-45, and with 13 guaranteed contracts (plus a qualifying offer option on Jericho Sims) for 2022-23 and a lottery pick coming, some veterans may end up getting unloaded – perhaps even Julius Randle – to pave way for younger players.
If one had his druthers, though, the 'Bockers would run it back as close to this season's squad as possible.
"We all believe in each other in that locker room, and we definitely want to see as many people as we can come back," Quickley said. "Everybody works hard and respects each other, so we want everybody to come back."
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