Novak did show his shooting touch with that jumper vs. the Warriors. I think he needs consistent minutes to get better on everything. 5 minutes a game doesn't hurt. Yao scored 0 points in his first NBA game. It's about getting used to the real NBA games.
2nd rounders aren't always bad. They just start with more question marks. They have alot more to challenges. Even undrafted players can be decent. Look at Chuck Hayes. If you ask me which 2nd round players are playing for the likely playoff winners Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks, Heat, and Phoenix, I couldn't tell ya. They are probably riding pine or got traded before the season started, or sent to the euroleague/nba developmental league. Maybe they are giving 12-15 minutes a game to a 2nd rounder, but he is a hustle or finesse player. Then, he wouldn't stand out in the boxscore, but his play could be good. It's ok to get excited for a 2nd rounder, but don't get disappointed when they take some time to develop. Remember Tito Maddox and Dan Langhi? He had one of the of the greatest player coaches in RudyT, he couldn't get a minute off the bench. We used to get excited when RudyT would bring in Tito and Dan Langhi. There were posts wondering why RudyT wasn't playing them more. Langhi was viewed much in the same way as Novak, the great 3pt savior. Many fans were disappointed that Langhi didn't get to play in some games at all. He would sit on the bench for the whole game sometimes. Novak will get better. His minutes will go up. He will get more playtime. It happens on alot of teams, that the rookies get only a few minutes at first.
Guys, Steve Novak was and s, a 2nd round pick. He might be ok down the line, but lets not get all huffed because he might be struggling to adapt and find a spot in our rotation at this point in his oh-so-young career.
Yes, as Dirk mostly played mop-up minutes as a rookie, playing in about half the games, after actually being drafted high. What's your point? Novak is getting the minutes that he deserves right now, for as the +/- numbers prove, he is right now just a liability. I'm hopeful for his future with that shooting touch, but let's not make him the great white hope. And in the playoffs, if playing Novak would mean sitting Hayes or Battier, then sit, Novak, sit. Novak is getting the playing time that he deserves.
Novak has lot to learn and it will take time for him to become a reliable backup shooter. We have to see more of him but I think he will be a Matt Bullard type of player in a best case scenario.
We have a good rotation right now. JVG is working him in as much as he needs to so he can see what he has. Like people said he is a 2nd rounder and is going to take some time to find minutes in the rotation.
rofl, I thought I would never see the word "Rodman" in describing Juwan Howard - bravo, well-done sir. I know we don't really agree on politics, but damn, Sam, I enjoy reading your takes on the Rockets and your posts in the NBA Dish. I think you are spot-on with your posts/takes in those 2 forums.
I'm not even gonna respond to that one....... Novak's a 3 point shooter. That's it. Arenas was an athletic scorer and Petrovic was a foreign player in a time where foreign players were not drafted very often. Novak can shoot threes. He's just another Scott Padgett clone.
Sorry but you are wrong about that! Novak is much better than Padgett and once he gains experience will be the best three Point Shopoter in the NBA. Padgett never rose to this sort of status.
I think Novak has a better shot then Padgett, but what other skills does Novak have? He's not athletic. He can't play defense. He isn't even good at getting open. People don't get that unless 2nd rounders show coaches something in practice or when they get in then they aren't gonna play. It's very simple. Many second rounders don't even make the team. Novak should dream of becoming the next Kyle Korver, which might even be a stretch..
Brent is nowhere near as good as his Brother(Jon) and Dad(Rick) were. Mainly because both of them played for the ROX(even though they weren't with us for that long they still played for us and that automatically makes them better). at least he's better than Scooter and Drew Barry...more .
I highly doubt Novak is or ever was in JVG's doghouse. He'll play when he's able to do more on the court than run to the corner and spot up..