Dort and Toppin, once
labeled “cannot shoot” coming into their NBA careers, both made big
impacts in their first-ever Finals game, draining 5 threes
each
In the NBA, the brightest lights
often reveal the clearest truths.
For Lu Dort and Obi Toppin, the
opening game of the 2025 NBA Finals was more than just their debut
on basketball’s biggest stage – it was a triumphant vindication.
Two players once written off as flawed prospects because of their
shooting, each drained five three-pointers in Game 1, helping their
teams swing momentum and silence long-standing doubts about their
offensive ceilings.
It was a performance steeped in
symbolism. Dort, the undrafted defensive ace turned perimeter
weapon, and Toppin, the high-flying former lottery pick once
typecast as an energy dunker, had just reshaped the narrative – not
just for the game, but for their careers.
Five threes. That’s what both
Dort and Toppin registered by the final buzzer in their Finals
debuts. For any role player, that’s an outstanding night. But for
these two in particular, it was poetic justice.
Lu Dort wasn’t supposed to be
here. He wasn’t drafted in 2019, and scouts questioned whether he
had the offensive tools to stick in the league. He carved a role
for himself with smothering defense, becoming one of the league’s
fiercest perimeter defenders. But that label –
defensive stopper who can’t
shoot –
stuck.
For years, Dort was left open.
Defenses dared him to shoot. And too often, they were right to. His
mechanics were rigid and his decision-making was erratic. But he
didn’t let that define him.
Dort has been one of the hardest
workers on this OKC Thunder squad, shooting hundreds of reps every
day during the offseason and the regular season even during
losing streaks or back-to-backs.
That dedication culminated in
Game 1, where Dort’s five triples not only stretched the defense
but gave Oklahoma City a vital offensive release valve in a
high-stakes contest. Each make felt like the culmination of
countless unseen hours.
Across the court, Obi Toppin was
having a moment of his own.
Drafted eighth overall in 2020
by the New York Knicks, Toppin entered the league with
highlight-reel athleticism and a college resume built on
jaw-dropping dunks and vertical explosion. But quickly, he was
pigeonholed and relegated just to that specific role
alone.
The knock on Toppin was that he
couldn’t space the floor. That he was a dunker, not a basketball
player. That once the athleticism declined, so would his
value.
That narrative followed him out
of New York and into Indiana, where a fresh start and head coach
Rick Carlisle who believed in his development gave Toppin the
runway to evolve. Over the past two seasons, Toppin’s shooting
steadily improved as his release quickened and his confidence grew.
And in Game 1 of the Finals, it all came together.
Five made threes. All in rhythm
and all fearless, with shots coming in from the crucial third and
fourth quarters that helped Indiana to come back from a 15-point
deficit.
Toppin didn’t just space the
floor – he bent it. He turned OKC’s defense into a scramble,
forcing rotations, opening lanes, and punishing closeouts. He
played like someone who knew what this moment meant, not just for
the game, but for the version of himself that people doubted for
years.
Superstars dominate headlines in
the NBA Finals, and rightfully so. But Dort and Toppin reminded the
world that role players can swing games – and championships too.
Their impact wasn’t just about the box score; it was about the
confidence they gave their teammates and the pressure they took off
their stars.
Dort’s three-point makes gave
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the spacing he needed to operate. Toppin’s
shooting allowed Tyrese Haliburton to orchestrate with a wider
canvas. And in a game of inches, those extra feet of space
mattered.
This wasn’t some hot-shooting
fluke. It was the product of years of sweat equity.
Dort entered the Finals shooting
a career-high percentage from three this season. He rebuilt his
jumper from the ground up and transformed his shot selection.
Toppin, meanwhile, has quietly become a legitimate stretch four,
hitting a good amount of his threes this season on increased
volume.
What we saw in Game 1 wasn’t a
one-night miracle – it was a crescendo after years of being
overlooked in that department.
It’s easy to forget that both
players were, at one point, afterthoughts in their respective
teams’ long-term plans.
Dort fought for a two-way
contract, eventually earning his place in OKC’s young core through
defense, hustle, and improvement. Toppin was traded for spare
parts. His exit from New York barely registered as a headline. But
in Indiana, he found a system that let him grow.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals
was their statement.
For Dort, it was a validation of
years spent being the first one in the gym and the last one out.
For Toppin, it was confirmation that the dunk contest was just a
footnote in his journey, not the highlight.
They didn’t just hit five
threes. They rewrote the scouting reports. They proved the doubters
wrong in basketball’s biggest stage.
– – –
There’s something beautiful
about seeing players redefine themselves. Not through viral
highlights or big contracts, but through unglamorous, tireless
work.
Dort and Toppin didn’t become
shooters overnight. They didn’t stumble into Finals glory. They
earned it through thousands of lonely reps, film sessions, tweaks,
failures, and restarts.
That’s why their Game 1
explosion hit differently.
It wasn’t just a surprise – it
was a celebration. A reminder that even in a league dominated by
superstars, there’s still room for the grinders. For the ones who
refuse to be boxed in by labels. For the players who keep showing
up, keep improving, and – when the moment finally comes – rise to
meet it.
Lu Dort and Obi Toppin weren’t
supposed to be this. But they believed they could be. And now, with
the whole basketball world watching, they are.
