Dang this was a good article. I always wondered how the triangle worked. I am amazed no one runs it. I wonder if the problem is, it is hard to learn and the coach and superstar have to want to do it.
Thank you! Not sure how I missed this, but you might be on to something. It is hard to coach and hard to learn, because it requires all players seeing the same things from the defense and reacting the same way. Teams other than Phil's teams have used elements, especially Kerr's Warriors and the Spurs, and that alone should be enough to get more to adopt it.
In 2012, Grantland had a great story on the death of the triangle, and of course the Warriors came after. Jackson posited that the triangle was dying primarily due to three factors:
1. Ball-dominant point guards, and guards more generally
2. More three-point shooting
3. Less focus on fundamentals
The writer, Chuck Klosterman, ended with this:
"It’s fun to talk about the Triangle with Jackson, mostly because he’s smart and candid about everything. Yet it’s possible that this willingness to express unvarnished opinions is part of the reason the Triangle is dying: Jackson is widely viewed as arrogant. He engenders jealousy among his rivals (and seems to enjoy doing so). His acolytes are few and far between. Unlike most coaches who’ve had major success, he hasn’t spawned a significant coaching tree of former assistants — his only real tentacles into the league have been recently fired Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis and ex-Mavs coach Jim Cleamons (currently working in China). Neither ran the Triangle in totality. Jackson’s NBA impact has been massive, but his ongoing influence will be muted. It appears that he will not be remembered as the NBA coach who ran the Triangle best; in all likelihood, he will be remembered as the only NBA coach who ran it at all. If the Triangle truly dies, it dies with him."
Wow super interesting. So it seems like there is a stigma for getting hired as a coach because since it is so adaptable it is hard to explain to GM's and Owners. (I also get the impression that triangle coaches can use the confusion to explain away every bad outcome that happens.) Since the GM's and owners don't understand it, they hate anyone who runs it. Thanks for that.
I have also seen recently that Thibodeau is running it for the Knicks. At least that's what people say.
Dang this was a good article. I always wondered how the triangle worked. I am amazed no one runs it. I wonder if the problem is, it is hard to learn and the coach and superstar have to want to do it.
Thank you! Not sure how I missed this, but you might be on to something. It is hard to coach and hard to learn, because it requires all players seeing the same things from the defense and reacting the same way. Teams other than Phil's teams have used elements, especially Kerr's Warriors and the Spurs, and that alone should be enough to get more to adopt it.
In 2012, Grantland had a great story on the death of the triangle, and of course the Warriors came after. Jackson posited that the triangle was dying primarily due to three factors:
1. Ball-dominant point guards, and guards more generally
2. More three-point shooting
3. Less focus on fundamentals
The writer, Chuck Klosterman, ended with this:
"It’s fun to talk about the Triangle with Jackson, mostly because he’s smart and candid about everything. Yet it’s possible that this willingness to express unvarnished opinions is part of the reason the Triangle is dying: Jackson is widely viewed as arrogant. He engenders jealousy among his rivals (and seems to enjoy doing so). His acolytes are few and far between. Unlike most coaches who’ve had major success, he hasn’t spawned a significant coaching tree of former assistants — his only real tentacles into the league have been recently fired Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis and ex-Mavs coach Jim Cleamons (currently working in China). Neither ran the Triangle in totality. Jackson’s NBA impact has been massive, but his ongoing influence will be muted. It appears that he will not be remembered as the NBA coach who ran the Triangle best; in all likelihood, he will be remembered as the only NBA coach who ran it at all. If the Triangle truly dies, it dies with him."
https://grantland.com/features/chuck-klosterman-phil-jackson-tex-winter-death-triangle-offense/
Wow super interesting. So it seems like there is a stigma for getting hired as a coach because since it is so adaptable it is hard to explain to GM's and Owners. (I also get the impression that triangle coaches can use the confusion to explain away every bad outcome that happens.) Since the GM's and owners don't understand it, they hate anyone who runs it. Thanks for that.
I have also seen recently that Thibodeau is running it for the Knicks. At least that's what people say.