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A look back at the best of Knicks legend Steve Novak

By Augustus Salt

Feb 22, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) gestures after scoring a basket during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 22, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) gestures after scoring a basket during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Knicks, Steve Novak
Steve Novak, New York Knicks. (Photo by Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports) /

3: Novak had some incredible statistics

Novak did not even play two full seasons with New York, but during the period he both led the league in a statistic — and even more impressively — set an NBA record.

During his first year with the Knicks, 2011-12, Novak shot a scorching 47.2% from behind the three-point line. It was a good enough line to lead the league in the category by almost two full percentage points.

If you were ever wondering who the five most accurate deep-ball shooters were in the 2011-12 season, here’s your answer:

  1. Steve Novak: 47.2%
  2. Stephen Curry: 45.5%
  3. Ersan Ilyasova: 45.5%
  4. Ray Allen: 45.3%
  5. Mike Miller: 45.3%

It’s not bad to beat out Curry and Allen in a three-point accuracy mark.

During the season, Novak attempted 282 threes and connected on 133 of them. Those numbers come out to Novak taking roughly 5.2 threes a game and making 2.5 of them.

Now, what about the NBA record breaker?

In the 2012-13 season, Novak had a mind-boggling 2.6 turnovers per 100 plays. It both led the league that year by a wide margin and set the NBA record, which had been held previously by Matt Bonner.

Here comes an even more obscure list of the lowest turnover rates in the 2012-13 season.

  1. Steve Novak: 2.6%
  2. Al Jefferson: 7.3%
  3. Dante Cunningham: 7.3%
  4. Ryan Anderson: 7.5%
  5. Marcus Thorton: 7.6%

Bonner’s previous record was 3.75%.

It is not shocking to hear that Novak had a low turnover rate given his role on the team. Running off screens and catching and shooting, he was very rarely asked or looked to make a play off the bounce or outside of his comfort zone.

Novak’s record still stands, with Langston Galloway on the Detroit Pistons getting the closest to it with a 3.7% turnover rate during the 2018-19 season. Other players to have led the league in the statistic in the time since are J.R. Smith, Otto Porter, Anthony Morrow, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

But forget all that and focus on the important bit — Novak leads NBA history in something.

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