GIF and storytime after the jump.
When you hear the name Steve Novak, what comes to mind? Is dead-eye shooting? Is it the discount double-check commercial? Is it his ill-fated mustache from last Movember?
Mine is none of the above. When I hear the name Steve Novak, my mind races through action shots of Ben Wallace, Dikembe Mutumbo, Alonzo Mouring and Hakeem Olajuwan leaping into frame from the weak-side.
I see hawks and eagles circling from above, temporarily vacating their throne onto the world for just a fleeting moment to feast on the ground-bound prey.
I see SAM missile defense systems locking onto whizzing rockets, plucking them out of thin air, setting the skies abalze with shrapnel-powered fireworks.
I see Harry Potter contorting atop the Hogwarts grounds, thrashed and throttled by the magic fingers of a house-elf, whirling through the skies in relentless pursuit of a golden winged-ball.
Most people wouldn’t categorize Novak as a “great shot blocker’, but what sets the greats apart from the legends? What differentiates a cylon apart from a centurian? What sets a French baguette apart from an Olive Garden breadstick? What’s the distinction between Avon and Stringer? What sets Aragorn apart from Boromir? What sets the aforementioned NBA greats from the legend that is Steve Novak?
It’s simple. In the timeless words of Eddie Murphy, a legend in his own right:
Baby I love y- WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?
Did Hakeem record a blocked shot this year? Nope. Did Mutumbo wag his finger in the last 4 months? Yes, probably, but not because he demolished Thomas Robinson’s shot. Did ‘Zo block this Vince Carter dunk? Did Ben Wallace and his afro adorn the cover of JET with Eddie Murphy? No, no, no and no.
What have you done for me lately? Steve Novak blocked a shot for me. What have YOU done for me lately?
(for the record, this is Steve’s 33rd block of his 9-year career and the first block of this season)
