[Milwaukee Journal]Rockets keeping gun (Novak) holstered {informative and funny}

Seems we should have elected Steve's BBS nickname to be NoPT.

 

More articles on Novak:

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Link: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=528014

[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Novak might be a shooting star in time
Posted: Nov. 7, 2006
Michael Hunt

St. Francis - At some point Tuesday during his evaluation of the Houston Rockets, Bucks coach Terry Stotts remarked how well Rafer Alston has played so far.

To someone who recalled how "Skip To My Lou" had dribbled himself right out of Milwaukee, Stott's factual assessment elicited a "wow."

It was then mentioned to Stotts that Tracy McGrady had recently called Steve Novak the best shooter in the NBA.

This was the kind of hanging-curveball touché moment that one doesn't normally encounter during the course of gym talk.

"Wow," Stotts said.

Actually, "T-Mac's" claim transcends the "wow" stage and moves right on up to the level where you kind of expected Rod Serling to step from behind the Cousins Center bleachers. Now, we'll grant a certain amount of latitude to teammates when it comes to promoting their own, but isn't that the kind of hyperbole that once helped to over-inflate Enron in Novak's new town?

I mean, it wasn't that long ago when Novak was knocking down threes at Brown Deer High on the way to becoming the greatest long-range shooter in Marquette's illustrious history.

"That's a big compliment, but he's still a rookie, man," said Michael Redd, who knows a thing or two about shooting in this here NBA.

Like Redd, Novak was a second-round draft pick with a gorgeous stroke and a lot to prove. Also like Mike, Novak went to the ideal team. In Houston, Novak has the perfect teammates in McGrady and Yao Ming to complement his marvelous touch. Accustomed to being driven hard at Marquette by Tom Crean, Novak also has the right pro coach in Jeff Van Gundy, who will insist that Novak learn to play passable NBA defense.

Redd did not get to personally know Novak, but he talked to him several times when Crean invited Redd to judge the dunk contest during Marquette's Midnight Madness sessions.

"I told him he had a chance to make it in this league," Redd said.

After all, it takes a shooter to know a shooter.

"I'm proud of him," Redd said. "I look at his release and how fast he gets it off. I look at his range. He's been able to step out even further behind the NBA line. He can spread the floor for Yao and Tracy. He definitely brings an element to that team that they needed.

"If he can work on his driving game, that's going to open up his shooting even more. But right now they just need him as a spot-up."

During training camp, Van Gundy toyed with the idea of starting Novak, even though he knew the rookie wasn't individually ready. The early thought was that maybe Novak might be best for the team as the lead power forward.

"He doesn't want to have to rely on that one great skill," Van Gundy told the Houston Chronicle. "He's got to get better at the other areas of the game.

"It's important for his development not to buy into everybody's hyping him up about his shooting and not base his game strictly on one skill. His individual defense has been better than his team defense, and I expected it to be just the opposite."

Novak might not play much tonight in his return to the Bradley Center because he has recently fallen out of the rotation, not that the Bucks will drop their guard.

During the exhibition season, he made 5 of 6 three-pointers against them.

"And I don't think one touched the rim," Stotts said.

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Link: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=sports&id=4743909

[Associated Press]

Former Marquette star Novak returns with Rockets
AP

(11/08/06 - MILWAUKEE, WI) - Life in the NBA seems pretty hectic for Houston Rockets rookie Steve Novak.
Less than an hour before the Rockets' game at Milwaukee on Wednesday night, Novak was so busy doing interviews and arranging ticket requests that he barely had time to get his ankles taped.

Novak, a native of the Milwaukee area and star player at Marquette, had to beg teammates to get 25 tickets for family and friends.

Among those expected to be among Novak's posse: Marquette coach Tom Crean, who had to make sure the Golden Eagles would finish practicing in time to get to the game.

"He made sure to be done," Novak said. "He'll be in the house."

Novak, a second-round draft pick, has played sparingly in the Rockets' first five games but said his transition to the NBA is going well.

"It's a place where I want to be," Novak said. "I feel like I fit well, and I love the guys, and it's been a good transition I think so far."

Having gone to college in the same area where he grew up, this is really Novak's first time on his own -- making him, in one sense, a lot like any other recent graduate.

"It's different, and I think it's just a different stage of life," Novak said. "You get to that age when something happens, you move away, you get a job or something like that. So that's where I'm at. And it hasn't been too tough an adjustment."

Adjusting to the style of play in the NBA has been an adjustment, as he's facing much bigger and quicker players than he did in college.

"The adjustment for me really has been recognizing that I need to get stronger, get quicker, and do those things to match up with the guys in this league that are at the four spot that are so strong and so quick."

The biggest challenge has come on defense.

"It's matching up with guys and recognizing that you have to get better," Novak said. "These guys are so versatile in this league."

But Novak says that playing for Crean has helped him adapt quickly on offense, as has been the case for former Marquette stars Dwyane Wade and Travis Diener.

"Just looking at that, the style of offense that we ran there, then being able to come here and run a pro style offense and see all the similarities, I feel like I was very prepared," Novak said.

Novak has taken only six shots this season, so he hasn't had much of a chance to show off his remarkable shooting touch for the Rockets yet.

But if he keeps working hard, he figures those opportunities will come.

"I have to come out and be ready every day for when my number's called," Novak said. "And right now, I feel like it's my job to watch the guys in front of me, see what they do so well. Having the group of veterans like we have, I feel like I can learn so much in such a short amount of time."

 

We all know he is a great shooter, and JVG knows that too, he has been in the league long enough to know what a good shooter is and im sure he wants to play novak but if he can't guard nobody i for one really don't want him on the court. I just hope he keeps workin in practice and he can learn crap sitting on the bench he just won't be getting pt experience, whenver he's ready im sure van gundy will put him in

 

Mildly amusing to see Stott's astonishment that JVG has been able to do with Rafer what he and no other coach could not: turn him into an efficient point guard.

 

I had fun imagining what that half man will be.

 

What are you saying I'm joking. You calling me a joker. You talkin to me...

 

The same fans that would be b****ing and griping about a loss thanks to no-D Novak (hey, there's a nickname... No-D No-vak). I didn't get to watch much of this last game, but it appears we barely won it as it is, yet we're asking for JVG to appease the Milwaukee crowd? Sorry, that does not compute - first wins; everything else should be secondary. With wins, you win the fans (well ours, anyway).

 

I agree, Sishir.

Sometimes you have to do these balancing acts. Authoritarian style of leadership usually yields results but a balance/blend of that style and the democratic style is the best imho.

A little bit of Novak in the 3rd would not have killed anyone.

 

I don't think JVG gives a squat about fan appreciation, especially if it's the opposing fans. He's out there to get the W, not apease the opposition fans.

I for one think that if JVG sees that Novak wasn't ready for that game, then his judgement is probably better than ours. It would have been nice to see Novak play for the home crowd, but if JVG worries too much about fan appreciation, we might not have that many wins this season.

 

Novak probably would have seen some court time if the game would have stayed a blow-out. It's the Bucks and Michael Redd that have no fan appreciation. If they did, they'd have laid down so Novak could get into the game.

 

maybe its just me but novak could pass for terry stott's illegitimate son. perhaps jvg was suspicious of hidden loyalties.

 

Not to sound like a downer, but when did Yao ever say anything bad about his teammates?

 

so we substituted with Juwan and he helped with his "wonderful defense" (sarcasm) and contributed to the lead going down the toilet.

Could Novak have done any worse than Juwan and the tired starters?

what was it 19 points gone in about 13 minutes?

Who knows Novak might have pulled the air out of the crowd for the Bucks and given us a boost with some locals cheering for him.

I also would have liked to have seen afresh Vspan on MRedd when he was spanking us for 20 pts. But I guess Gundy is smarter than me - or at least more consistent - he believes in tired legs being better than fresh legs.

????

 

so I guess you guys arent big fans of Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta or Martin Scorsese?

 

I was wondering if anyone was going to mention that. Every time they showed the Bucks' coach, the first thought in my head was, 'Hey! Why is Novak in a suit?? Is he inactive??' Those two guys are dead-ringers for each other.

Or maybe, 'Hey! Why is Novak coaching the other team? That's not fair. That boy ain't right.'

 

Good article and it is a shame that we forgot to play in the 4th qtr because it would have been nice for Novak to please the hometown crowd and for Billy and Padgett to play as well. It would have also given our starters less minutes for the next game...but oh well, maybe they will take care of business the next time they have a 20 point lead late in the 3rd qtr.

 

Fair enough. But why did we blow the big lead? Did Novak blow it? Or was it the tired veterans? You guys, including JVG, simply assume that if we put Novak on the floor for a short time, the 20+ point lead would just evaporate.

All the fans wanted was to cheer their hero (on OUR team) for a few minutes. It wouldn't have hurt much to play him a couple of minutes. And as I repeatedly said, he might even help us to widen the margin. Wouldn't it be cool if the opposing fans cheered when one of OUR players made a shot?

 

Maybe if someone gave Novak a football uniform complete with pads to wear to the games, he get more PT!

 

Novak's offense isn't a problem, so that leaves his defense.

How can Novak improve his defense when players don't go full throttle in practice?

If Novak can guard players in practice he should get court time, like 5 minutes a game. If he can't guard players in practice he should be sent to the NBDL.

If 5 minutes of Novak can make or break the Rockets then we are in trouble.

If Novak works hard, throw the dog a biscuit.

 

Agree on both points.

Now this is interesting.

I know what you are saying, but it also goes that

1) if a player (other than Novak of course) can't score effectively in practice, how can we expect him to do better when he faces real opponents? Shouldn't we send him to NBDL as well?

2) if a player can score really well in practice, shouldn't we have doubt in his defender whose last name isn't Novak? Shouldn't we also send that defender to NBDL?