Toppin had his best game for Indiana on Monday.Obi Toppin isn’t known for his defense, but the Indiana Pacers starting four man was needed for a tough task earlier this week. With Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in town, Toppin was Indiana’s best option against the seven-foot-five-inch French sensation.

“It’s going to be fun though, playing against them,” Toppin said of the matchup. He was giving up eight inches to the Spurs rookies.

Myles Turner, the tallest Pacers starter, had to handle Zach Collins down low. Bruce Brown, Indiana’s best perimeter defender to open games, is too short for Wembanyama. There was no other option. It was going to be Toppin’s matchup.

Fortunately, Toppin was up for it. He stayed in front of the tall big man all night, keeping him away from the rim and forcing him to think when he caught the ball. Toppin’s plan was to be physical with Wenbanyama, and that strategy worked.

Early in the game — just over two minutes in — Toppin fouled his matchup down low right after a catch. It looked like a perilous moment, perhaps a sign that Toppin’s only hope was extra contact. Instead, that was the plan. He wanted to set the tone.

It worked. While Toppin’s physicality led to three fouls, he kept Wembanyama honest and forced him to consider his every move. The French big man would be bumped and contested at every turn.

“He’s a very good player,” Toppin said. He tried with all of his athletic ability to block one of Wembanyama’s shots, but ended up fouling him on the wrist at the peak of his jump. “You think you can block his shot, but you can’t.”

While that one play ended with a whistle, Toppin’s defense was excellent. He held Wembanyama to 1/3 shooting and two turnovers as his primary matchup. The Spurs rookie star finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, but it took him over 21 minutes to do so. He shot 3/12 from the field. The Pacers, and Toppin, defended him well.