By Maxwell Ogden/FanSided via Daily Knicks
Sep 23, 2016 at 12:27p ET

The New York Knicks will continue to utilize elements of the triangle offense in 2016-17. Here are five reasons why Phil Jackson is right to continue pushing the system.

For better or worse, Phil Jackson is the team president of the New York Knicks. Many have maintained the stance that his status is detrimental to team success, but there are multiple facts that point in the opposite direction.

Rather than beating the dead horse that is the way he’s helping the Knicks build for the future, it’s time to address the misconceptions about the triangle offense.

Hiring Jeff Hornacek as head coach effectively pushed the Knicks away from the traditional use of the triangle offense. Hornacek runs a multifaceted system that doesn’t rely on any one form of offense as the exclusive manner of execution.

Hornacek will, however, utilize elements of the triangle offense in New York—just as he did as head coach of the Phoenix Suns.

Thus, while many Knicks fans have soured on the system, there are merits to its presence in New York. It’s not weak or incomprehensible; it simply needed a few modern tweaks to return to its former form of prominence and dominance.

Here are five reasons to believe that the triangle offense can still work for the New York Knicks.

5. It’s Alive And Well

If you believe the folk tales, then the triangle offense is an outdated system that has no place in the NBA. If you believe the film, then the triangle offense is a useful system that’s being incorporated in systems around the Association.

As Coach Nick of Basketball Breakdown so beautifully proved, the triangle offense is alive and well in the modern NBA.

The Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers can all be seen running triangle offense plays and schematics.

That’s a high number of teams, including the past three NBA champions and 11 squads that made the 2016 NBA Playoffs, running a supposedly defunct and outdated system.

The triangle offense may not be something to live and die by, but suggesting it should be eradicated is ignorant to the facts. The system is all about creating space and providing the offense with multiple options and alternatives.

If the 11 2016 postseason teams that have implemented plays and aspects of the triangle offense have proven anything, it’s that it’s alive and well.

4. Maintaining Morale

The triangle offense relies upon having players who can create their own offense—you know, like every other system ever created. The foundation for the system, however, is ball movement and off-ball motion that enables all five players to be involved on offense.

Though this doesn’t show up in advanced metrics, it’s the reality of the human mind: many players want offensive recognition for their defensive efforts.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that defensive players need to be given 10 shots per game on the other end. It’s not about giving a defensive-minded players a shot attempt or a chance to facilitate.

The triangle offense is all about getting those players involved in the offense to maintain a high level of energy and involvement, avoid sluggishness, and keep morale high.

Said players may not score, but in the triangle offense, every player on the floor has a role to fill. Whether they’re setting a screen, making an entry pass, moving as a decoy, or finishing the play, all five players are required to do something when the system is in motion.

Any offense can merely give their best players the ball and say, “Go,” but the best teams find ways to get all five guys involved on both ends of the floor.

3. Three Points Of The Triangle

The triangle offense isn’t exactly what everyone has made it out to be. The plays themselves have proven to be effective, but Tex Winter and The Zen Master turned the triangle into something more than a means of offensive execution.

During a recent interview with Marc Berman of The New York Post, three-time NBA champion and Phil Jackson disciple B.J. Armstrong explained what the triangle is really about.

“Here is the triangle — I don’t like to waste my time,’’ Armstrong said. “I find it funny. Here’s the staple of a team that wants to win: They defend, they rebound and pass the ball. All of Phil’s teams have those three elements. That’s the triangle.

Those are the three points of the triangle: defending, rebounding, and passing the ball.

The system itself has been proven as effective on the offensive end of the floor. The reality is, Jackson’s triangle is about much more than merely running a motion offense and creating space; it’s about doing things the right way.

Teams that defend, control the boards, and are willing to trust their teammates are those that execute at the highest possible level.

If a team plays elite defense and rebounds well, then they’ll control the pace of a game. If a team is willing to move without the ball, selflessly pass, and find the open man, then offensive execution will come easy.

The triangle consists of specific plays and schemes, but the main principle is to contribute in three critical areas: defense, rebounding, and passing.

2. 11 Rings

Phil Jackson won 11 NBA championships—all of which were secured while running the triangle offense. He’s won more titles than any other coach in NBA history—and 11 is 11, no matter how much talent he had.

Thus, while it may be easy for New York Knicks fans to dismiss the system after two years, it’s important to contextualize what’s transpired.

Jackson tanked the 2014-15 season—a process that began before he even arrived. Everyone seems to remember the 54-win 2012-13 campaign, but they tend to overlook the fact that the Knicks missed the playoffs in 2013-14 with that same core.

Injuries played a factor, yes, but Jackson gave many of those players an opportunity to prove themselves—an opportunity they failed to cash in on.

His tenure hasn’t been perfect, but Jackson has delivered Kristaps Porzingis to an organization that hadn’t drafted a franchise player since 1985. Thus, it’s fair to believe that the man who won 11 championships as a coach and two as a player deserves the benefit of the doubt.

The triangle offense needs to adapt to modern times, but that’s why Jackson hired Jeff Hornacek as head coach.

1. Defining The Knicks’ Problems

The most common misconception about the New York Knicks is that victories weren’t coming because of the triangle offense. One could technically make that case, but the why is far more difficult to define than merely pointing fingers.

The Knicks didn’t struggle because of the triangle offense; the Knicks struggled because they were running the system too slowly.

The key to any motion offense, whether the triangle or otherwise, is to get into your sets at an expedited pace. A system loses all effectiveness if the offense moves too slowly to actually create space or openings.

With all due respect to the guards who ran the show over the past two seasons, they simply weren’t athletic or dynamic enough to run the offense in the proper manner.

In 2016-17, the Knicks will have the likes of Brandon Jennings, Courtney Lee, and Derrick Rose at the guard spots. Rose is still one of the quickest guards in the NBA, Jennings deserves the same recognition, and Lee is an underrated athlete.

With those three players moving the Knicks quicker into their sets, fans will see what the triangle offense can truly do—for better or worse.

The triangle offense can help the New York Knicks become championship contenders again.

There are photos and videos in the original article.
http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/new-york-knicks-five-reasons-the-triangle-offense-still-works-092316?cmpid=feed:-sports-CQ-RSS-Feed

The roster is changing constantly, we really dont have a core in place around KP. I believe Phil was wise to let someone come in who can hopefully bring everyone on the same page in relatively short order.

By Maxwell Ogden/FanSided via Daily Knicks
Sep 23, 2016 at 12:27p ET

1. Defining The Knicks’ Problems . . .

The most common misconception about the New York Knicks is that victories weren’t coming because of the triangle offense. One could technically make that case, but the why is far more difficult to define than merely pointing fingers.

The Knicks didn’t struggle because of the triangle offense; the Knicks struggled because they were running the system too slowly . . .

nixluva wrote:What I think Hornacek can do is use Triangle PRINCIPLES without having to spend all year working on all the technical stuff that often goes into the system.

But you continue to ignore the difference between Triangle Xs and Os . . . and Triangle Culture.

There's DEFINITELY no short cut to Triangle Culture.

It takes lots of time and effort . . .

GustavBahler wrote:(1) They ran the Triangle slow because they hadn't played together long enough to run it fast. Its not like you can snap your fingers and run the Triangle at triple time without any experience, not with any consistency.

(2) If you have followed more than just the Triangle, you would have noticed all the players who have come and gone in the last few years. Expecting players who havent been here very long, or who aren't likely to be here very long, to grasp an offense that takes 2-3 seasons to really be able to execute with some measure of competency, is unrealistic.

(3) Phil understands that, thats one reason why he brought in Hornacek.

But with (3), I don't see that Hornacek is going to magically resolve (1) and (2).

I agree (now . . .) that he appears to be a good hire.

But the Triangle learning curve is still there.

That's why I was so unhappy about losing the experience of Lopez and Williams.

Just don't mess with the roster any more . . . and learn to play the Triangle
once and for all (!)

Malcolm wrote:

nixluva wrote:What I think Hornacek can do is use Triangle PRINCIPLES without having to spend all year working on all the technical stuff that often goes into the system.

I'll admit this is CONCEIVABLE. Not likely, in my opinion . . . but conceivable.

But you continue to ignore the difference between Triangle Xs and Os . . . and Triangle Culture.

There's DEFINITELY no short cut to Triangle Culture.

It takes lots of time and effort . . .

“Here is the triangle — I don’t like to waste my time,’’ Armstrong said. “I find it funny. Here’s the staple of a team that wants to win: They defend, they rebound and pass the ball. All of Phil’s teams have those three elements. That’s the triangle."

Hornacek has Rambis and Phil to help if necessary but he is going to simplify things and make it easy for this team to come together and be effective. That's what he does. If you simply look at what he's done, he looks to maximize the talent he has and put them in position to succeed. He's not going to just sit there and watch the team struggle with remembering technical things and so I expect that he'll give them an offense they can run and play instinctively. That's Hornacek's gift. He can break things down for players so they actually GET IT.