The triangle offense that made Phil Jackson one of most successful coaches in NBA history is not seen in the league often these days, and it has been scrutinized quite often lately. Players have spoken publicly about their displeasure with it, arguing that it hinders them from playing their natural games, affecting their effectiveness on the court.
Recently, another popular basketball figure took a shot at the system. Iconic Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim shared his thoughts on the triangle. Having called the plays for the Orangemen since 1976, it would not be hard to imagine Boeheim being a fan of the system, as it is considered an “old school” set.
Instead, he blasted it.
While talking with Myron Medcalf of ESPN, Boeheim said that it only works if a team has either Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.
“The triangle is the worst offense ever, unless you have Michael [Jordan] or Kobe [Bryant]”
The two NBA legends played under Jackson during their primes and won multiple championships with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. However, the New York Knicks haven’t had the same success with the triangle despite the Zen Master making head coach Jeff Hornacek implement it with the team's offensive sets.
With Jackson out of the Knicks' front office, Hornacek is expected to slowly replace some of their plays with new sets, and in the process, remove the triangle system completely eventually.
It remains to be seen how his players will respond to the new offense, but it’s more likely that they will accept it with open arms, especially after all the confusion and difficulties they’ve had running the triangle the past few seasons.
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