Former Flyer Toppin ‘can’t wait’ for Game 7 of NBA Finals

Toppin will be the first former Flyer to play in a Game 7 in the NBA Finals since Hank Finkel in 1974. Finkel played one minute for the Boston Celtics in a 102-87 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks.

“We can’t wait to get to this game tomorrow,” Toppin told reporters in Oklahoma City. “We grew up our whole lives wanting to play in a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. It’s going to be fun.”

Toppin led the Pacers with 20 points Thursday in a 108-91 victory in Game 6.

Toppin scored 17 points in Game 1, 3 in Game 2, 8 in game 3, 12 in Game 4 and 17 in Game 5. He has the Pacers’ third-highest scoring average (12.8 points per game) in the finals after ranking sixth in the regular season (10.5).

Toppin is shooting 39.4% from 3-point range (13 of 33) in the finals.

Either the Pacers or Thunder will take home their first NBA title, though the Pacers won three ABA titles, and the Thunder won the 1979 NBA title when they were the Seattle Supersonics.

“It’s going to be two great teams playing really hard,” Toppin said. “It’s been a while since both teams got a championship. So for us to play against each other in the Game 7, it’s going to be good basketball.”

Each team is 1-2 on the road in the finals. The Pacers won Game 1 in Oklahoma City on a buzzer-beating jump shot by Tyrese Haliburton. Oklahoma City is 10-2 at home in the playoffs.

“They’re definitely going to have the crowd’s energy,” Toppin said. “But we want to celebrate on that floor. We have to have the same mentality we had in Game 6 to get the job done.”