No Novak thread yet? I thought he was fan favorite. Anyways here it is: Steve Novak aka "sure shot" aka "the great white hope" first 07-08 NBA game: 19 mins 8 points 5 rebounds (<-I LIKE IT) shot 2-3 from the 3 point line. Discuss~
he was the ONLY i repeat the ONLY rocket with a positive +/- rating for the warriors game. Novak I kept telling y'all he is gonna pay dividends one way or another. Glad to see Adelman giving the younger guys some real PT and confidence.
Heh I hope he can do it a few more times... The bench is somewhat deep - hopefully RA can find a rotation that can win more consistently.
<embed src="http://services.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/716758716" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1351432898&playerId=716758716&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://services.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="486" height="412" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed>
It doesn't seem like RA knows what he wants....he keeps shuffling the lineup game to game, half by haf, quarter by quarter....I'm getting whiplash watching players going in and out of the rotation.
I liked Novak better the first time. When he was called Langhi, Turcan, etc... This isn't going to workout. See y'all in 2 years when we draft the next tweener shooting specialist.
The board seems cautious in its praise for Novak this time around. However, he does merit a round of applause. He looked far more confident than last year and generally was where he was supposed to be. He had several open looks but was ignored by his teammates, especially at the end of the game when Rafer and Shane were tossing errant treys. The moment was made for him but he didn't get the chance -- despite making 2 of 3. Pity. From this performance he deserves another look.
Im all for giving Novak more of a chance, why not, nothing else is working. But when we get him in, since he is a specialist and not overall game player and contributor, lets get him some more shots while in! I still think Rick Adelman is the problem. He can't determine or know what is best to do with this team. He did not go back at all to the lineup in the first half that help them regain the lead. How many times has he done that this year?
Last year Novak looked lost, and unathletic, he just looked like a fish out of water, even in the preseason he looked that way.....sort of...well...confused. But last night, he looked comfortable, he is not as athletic as some, but that doesn't matter if you play with confidence. He looked a lot different last night, maybe he has started to figure it out.....too early to tell, but he made a good impact last night. DD
I'm happy for Novak. He went in the game and did what he was supposed to do -- hit shots. He's still a significant liability on defense -- his inability to close on shooters was still very apparent -- but that's an upgrade from the utter disaster on defense he was last year.
I totally agree, last year his head was spinning at least last night he was in the right place, now if he can get that spacing thing sorted out where he stays in contact with his man or anticipates a rotation a bit better, then maybe we have a player. At least he showed progress, but WAY to early to say...."put him in the rotation".... I would be in favor of some minutes...especially with Tmac out and Yao as the focal point....Novak fits better on the court with a low post player that draws double teams...... DD
Reviewing the game on tivo, I am so impressed with Novak's shooting stroke. He could have been shooting from the half court line it was so effortless -- and quick. However, he is a SF, not a PF, although he was showing aggressiveness under the basket.
His defense still sucks. We got away with it in the second quarter, somehow, but it burned us at the end of the third.
Novak was not exactly a defensive stopper last night, but then methinks there were other culprits who were mightily assisting in the Rocket's rather porous "effort."
Novak did good job from the offence end last night, but his defence skill, I don't know, trash, too subtle, let's just say poor.
