TORONTO — Former Knicks 3-point sniper Steve Novak admitted Friday he was very disappointed in Mike Woodson for not using him in the second round of the playoffs against the Pacers after he returned healthy from a sore back.
Novak, now part of the Raptors bench, was taken out of the rotation against Indiana after hurting his back in the Boston series. But the fan favorite felt raring to go, and lobbied with the Knicks coach when he wasn’t used. Woodson’s decision backfired when the Knicks’ offense petered out in a six-game postseason ouster.
“Me and Mike were very open about it.,’’ Novak said after Friday’s morning shootaround at the Air Canada Centre before the Knicks face Toronto in a preseason game. “It wasn’ t like a rift. Obviously he knew the whole time I wanted to play. I told him when I got healthy. I made sure I went up to him and said, ‘Listen, I’m 100 percent. Don’ t not play me because I’m hurt. I’m ready.’ ’’
Woodson said Friday he felt the playoffs were different and he wanted more of a defensive element. The writing was on the wall. One month later, Novak was a key part of the Andrea Bargnani deal that sent the Italian big man to New York.
“That’s what coaches do,’’ Woodson said. “We change up and do certain things. In the playoffs, it’s strictly defense. I just went in another direction. It wasn’t anything Novak did. We wish him nothing but the best here.’’
Novak, one of the classiest guys in the league, admitted he didn’t take a seat on the bench too quietly.
“I called him one night in the hotel: ‘Look, you know I’m ready if you need me,’ ’’ Novak said. “As a player, you want to play. I look back on my career: The coaches that played me I love, the coaches that didn’t play me, I didn’t like. He made a lot of good decisions. But I wanted to be out there. It was the playoffs.’’
Novak flourished under Mike D’Antoni in 2011-12, leading the league in 3-point shooting percentage. He earned a four-year, $16 million deal with the Knicks the following offseason.
This past offseason Woodson believed Bargnani would be a lot more versatile than Novak, able to penetrate and guard the post as well as being a 3-point shooter. The Knicks coach attempted to get Novak to put the ball on the floor more, but he never developed that skill.
“He was here a long time but it ended badly,’’ Novak said of Bargnani. “How you finish is what you remember. He had a lot of good years here. The No. 1 pick has a lot of pressure. The fans look at him as a No. 1 pick and, ‘Is he LeBron or not?’ You got to be careful what you say to the media. I don’t know if he handled every situation the right way.’’
Novak has joined former Knicks teammate, Landry Fields, as a Raptor. Novak, Fields and Jeremy Lin were a clique during Linsanity.
“[Fields] was the first guy I called,’’ Novak said. “Where you living, where are the spots? It was nice, having someone you know you can ask questions.’’
It seems Novak would rather be in New York, where the fans cherished his long-distance shooting ability.
“It’s a basketball city,’’ Novak said. “It was just so cool just to be appreciated for what I do. I found a role in New York and was able to be successful. I didn’t expect [to be traded].”