Phil Jackson, considered by many to be the greatest basketball coach of all-time, was the brainchild behind one of the most dominant offenses in NBA history, engineering his teams to 11 championships over the last 20 years.
This offense is the famed Triangle offense, and it has long been heralded as an offense that allows for a wealth of options at every turn, as well as providing fantastic spacing, putting everyone on the floor in a position to score.
The great part about the Triangle is that every team can run it differently, and it can allow you to hide your weaknesses and play up your strengths.
Start off your two guards up top, and your small forward lined up on the strong side wing. The power forward will be lined up on the other side of the court, standing about halfway between the wing and the block, and your center will be lined up on the ball side block.
There are several ways to enter the offense, all ending up with a triangle between the strong side wing and post players, and a player who has just stepped into the ball side corner.
Point Guard Fill
In this first entry, your point guard will pass the ball to the wing, and run through to the corner. Your other guard will slide over, closer to the ball, and everyone else will remain in the same position.
Power Forward Fill
Here the point guard will again pass the ball to the wing, but instead of him filling into the corner, the power forward will come in from the weak side. The other guard
will slide into the power forward’s old spot, and the passer will take the other guards spot.
Dribble Entry
While this is probably my least favourite entry, as it does not encourage very much movement, it is useful for any situation where the wing player is being heavily denied.
Simply have the point guard dribble down to the wing, sliding the wing player into the corner. The other guard will also move over closer to the middle of the floor.
The entries are just the first step to the Triangle offense and the wealth of opportunity that it can provide for you and your team.
Check back on Friday, August 5th, when I will break down how to get the pick and roll, two man game, and much more with just one more pass!
In the meantime, head to my basketball drills and plays facebook page, where you can find tons of daily links, tips, and drills that will give you a leg up on all your opponents!