I was watching Steven A. Smith's report from the floor at the Garden this afternoon and Mr. Novak happened to be in the background warming up. He literally hit every shot he took for the duration of the interview. What really got me was when Steve was shooting around the perimeter, he would disappear from the screen at times and you would see the ball boy throwing the ball and then two seconds later that ball splashing in the hoop--like clockwork. it was mesmerizing/amazing. I know it's only warm-ups but he must have drained 20 3s in a row. God, I miss him in MU blue and gold.
And no, I have no idea what Steven A. Smith was blabbering about.
Quote from: windyplayer on May 03, 2012, 07:42:44 PM
I was watching Steven A. Smith's report from the floor at the Garden this afternoon and Mr. Novak happened to be in the background warming up. He literally hit every shot he took for the duration of the interview. What really got me was when Steve was shooting around the perimeter, he would disappear from the screen at times and you would see the ball boy throwing the ball and then two seconds later that ball splashing in the hoop--like clockwork. it was mesmerizing/amazing. I know it's only warm-ups but he must have drained 20 3s in a row. God, I miss him in MU blue and gold.
And no, I have no idea what Steven A. Smith was blabbering about.
He's been underrated for so many years. I play the NBA 2K games and every year Novak is ranked like a 45 overall which is pretty much the worst in the game. Sure he doesn't do much else than shoot but he is now the BEST shooter in the NBA.
Novak starting in an NBA Playoff game tonight. Raise your hand if you ever thought you would see that reality.
I have used the Knicks a lot and just fire it up with Novak, but they have butchered him in the game. His shot looks ugly and isn't a very good shooter. I was hoping as the season went on, they would bump him up, but they haven't.
Quote from: Wade for President on May 03, 2012, 09:31:18 PM
Novak starting in an NBA Playoff game tonight. Raise your hand if you ever thought you would see that reality.
Too bad he went o'fer, aina?
I was watching a YouTube video of the 2003 Kentucky game. Towards the end they showed the great sequence of Diener dishing it off to Novak and then running down the court with his hands in the air before Novak's shot even left his hands. Fabulous !!
Quote from: 6Under20 on May 03, 2012, 10:32:22 PM
I was watching a YouTube video of the 2003 Kentucky game. Towards the end they showed the great sequence of Diener dishing it off to Novak and then running down the court with his hands in the air before Novak's shot even left his hands. Fabulous !!
That is my favorite game I have on DVD just edging out the UCONN Game 1 Big East Game. Novak is the ultimate complimentary player. You give him a PG that knows what he is doing and he is deadly.
Quote from: Chili on May 03, 2012, 11:39:22 PM
That is my favorite game I have on DVD just edging out the UCONN Game 1 Big East Game. Novak is the ultimate complimentary player. You give him a PG that knows what he is doing and he is deadly.
Unfortunately, the Knicks gave him...Baron Davis.
My biggest hope for Novak is his inclusion in the NBA three point shooting contest next year. He could come into the locker room like Larry Bird did years ago and say "who is finishing second"?
He would destroy the field. The only question is if Novak would have the ability to move without the ball and get from rack to rack due to his inability to do those things.
Quote from: windyplayer on May 03, 2012, 07:42:44 PM
And no, I have no idea what Steven A. Smith was blabbering about.
Steven A. Smith is the biggest douche in journalism. Sports or otherwise. What a pompous tool.
Quote from: warthog-driver on May 04, 2012, 03:05:34 AM
Steven A. Smith is the biggest douche in journalism. Sports or otherwise. What a loud, pompous tool.
Fixed it for you.
Quote from: warthog-driver on May 04, 2012, 03:05:34 AM
Steven A. Smith is the biggest douche in journalism. Sports or otherwise. What a pompous tool.
No more so than most of the remaining ESPN nitwits like Simmons, Reilly, Bayless, and more.
I heard after he graduated, Novak was invited for a workout with San Antonio. He went down there and they put out 20 balls in 5 3 point spots (2 corners, 2 wings, and top of the key). Steve made 90 of them. San Antonio ended the workout at that point.
Quote from: 4everwarriors on May 03, 2012, 10:05:43 PM
Too bad he went o'fer, aina?
Hard to get a rhythm when two punks take 40 of your team's 70 shots.
There's a reason Anthony is one of the worst Playoffs performer in the history of the game.
Quote from: Wade for President on May 03, 2012, 09:31:18 PM
Novak starting in an NBA Playoff game tonight. Raise your hand if you ever thought you would see that reality.
There was a stretch his Junior year (culminating at a game at DePaul) where he should not have started. If memory serves me correctly, he may have been benched? I think of that when it comes to players like Vander who have potential but have not yet shown it.
Quote from: The Golden Avalanche on May 04, 2012, 09:40:16 AM
Hard to get a rhythm when two punks take 40 of your team's 70 shots.
There's a reason Anthony is one of the worst Playoffs performer in the history of the game.
Seriously? You are going to blame Melo when he and Chandler are the only legit starters available to play Wade, James and Bosch? Wow. As far as Novak, standing in the corner waiting for the ball to come your way does not leave alot of options. He was covered pretty well by the Miami D. I love steve, great shooter. He cannot create any offense and that is a big liability for him. How many guys his size do absolutely nothing inside.
Quote from: Knight Commission on May 04, 2012, 09:42:16 AM
There was a stretch his Junior year (culminating at a game at DePaul) where he should not have started. If memory serves me correctly, he may have been benched? I think of that when it comes to players like Vander who have potential but have not yet shown it.
On further review, he was in fact benched and his woes continued through the Louisville game (1 -6 shooting, 0-4 from 3 pts, 2 pts) where we lost 99-52, after Diener's injury. The following game, he scored 20+ against St Louis and started from there on out.
Quote from: MUDPT on May 04, 2012, 09:40:11 AM
I heard after he graduated, Novak was invited for a workout with San Antonio. He went down there and they put out 20 balls in 5 3 point spots (2 corners, 2 wings, and top of the key). Steve made 90 of them. San Antonio ended the workout at that point.
Actually, here's what he did:
"Novak had always been known around the league as one of the best shooters -- in fact, during his pre-draft workout in 2006 with the Spurs, he made 96 out of 100 threes"
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/17611/former-suns-gm-steve-kerr-wanted-novak
Quote from: 79Warrior on May 04, 2012, 09:49:14 AM
Seriously? You are going to blame Melo when he and Chandler are the only legit starters available to play Wade, James and Bosch? Wow. As far as Novak, standing in the corner waiting for the ball to come your way does not leave alot of options. He was covered pretty well by the Miami D. I love steve, great shooter. He cannot create any offense and that is a big liability for him. How many guys his size do absolutely nothing inside.
Anthony has shown repeatedly he is awful in the Playoffs. Look up his winning percentage. It's downright embarrassing for a supposed "elite" NBA player.
Novak's game hasn't changed a bit in 10 years yet he was able to have a couple big moments down the stretch for the Knicks. Strange for a guy who was getting six-eight looks a game in April to only shoot twice in every game against the Heat.
But I'm sure that has nothing to do with Anthony's or Smith's domineering. It's only the Heat defense.
Wade schooled Novak with some great D later in the game!
Quote from: The Golden Avalanche on May 04, 2012, 10:26:22 AM
Anthony has shown repeatedly he is awful in the Playoffs. Look up his winning percentage. It's downright embarrassing for a supposed "elite" NBA player.
Novak's game hasn't changed a bit in 10 years yet he was able to have a couple big moments down the stretch for the Knicks. Strange for a guy who was getting six-eight looks a game in April to only shoot twice in every game against the Heat.
But I'm sure that has nothing to do with Anthony's or Smith's domineering. It's only the Heat defense.
I am not defending Melo, but lets put this series in context. The Knicks do not have the horses to compete with the Heat, period. Three Knick starters are out. Hardly much Melo can do in that case. As far as Steve, he was covered most of the game. Every team knows where he hangs out. If he had another dimension to his game he would have more looks.
Quote from: slingkong on May 04, 2012, 09:11:22 AM
No more so than most of the remaining ESPN nitwits like Simmons, Reilly, Bayless, and more.
You are crazy to put Simmons in the same breath at Bayless and Stephen A....
Quote from: Hoopaloop on May 04, 2012, 12:09:05 AM
My biggest hope for Novak is his inclusion in the NBA three point shooting contest next year. He could come into the locker room like Larry Bird did years ago and say "who is finishing second"?
He would destroy the field. The only question is if Novak would have the ability to move without the ball and get from rack to rack due to his inability to do those things.
He doesn't have create his own shot off the dribble so he should be fine. I'm glad you finally agree.
Quote from: 79Warrior on May 04, 2012, 09:49:14 AM
Seriously? You are going to blame Melo when he and Chandler are the only legit starters available to play Wade, James and Bosch? Wow. As far as Novak, standing in the corner waiting for the ball to come your way does not leave alot of options. He was covered pretty well by the Miami D. I love steve, great shooter. He cannot create any offense and that is a big liability for him. How many guys his size do absolutely nothing inside.
Personally, I will blame Melo whether he has all HIS starters out there or not. His talent is through the roof but the team will never be because it's all about him (and JR). How do the Nuggets have a better record after the superstar leaves? How come the Knicks are better when Felton and Amare and running the show? How come the Knicks are better when Lin plays without Anthony than when he plays with him? Novak will never reach his full potential as long as Melo and JR are on the floor. Standing in the corner and having a driver who wants to pass the ball and make the TEAM better will leave him with a lot of options. As long as Melo and JR continue to play for themselves Knick fans will have to wait another year or so for a playoff win and a successful team.
Most teams blessed to have a great shooter occasionally set a screen for said shooter. The Knicks? They just have Novak wait in the corner on the off chance that his man will leave him. That works against poorly coached teams that don't have good individual defenders. That won't work against Miami. It's pointless even to play Novak if he's only going to get 2 shots.
Quote from: MU82 on May 04, 2012, 11:23:51 PM
Most teams blessed to have a great shooter occasionally set a screen for said shooter. The Knicks? They just have Novak wait in the corner on the off chance that his man will leave him. That works against poorly coached teams that don't have good individual defenders. That won't work against Miami. It's pointless even to play Novak if he's only going to get 2 shots.
Bingo.
But this is what the Knicks went with when they leveraged the franchise for Anthony. They brought in a strict iso guy in a pick-and-roll flow offense under D'Antoni. When that inevitably blew up, they handed the reins to arguably the most iso friendly coach in the business.
Thus, if you're going to put all your chips on an iso scheme with an iso guy then that scheme and, in particular, that guy deserve the blame when it looks so ludicrously pathetic.