Surprise, Phil Jackson takes another shot at modern players
The Triangle isn't the problem, it's the skills, or lack thereof, of the players running it
By
Zach Harper
•
2 min read
Phil Jackson still insists the Triangle is basketball's best offensive system. It worked for him on historic levels back in the 90s and the aughts when he was coaching the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. But those were the good ole days when men were men and players knew how to, you know, play basketball.
This idea that players today aren't as good as those of yesteryear, that they aren't as tough or skilled, is some pretty tired rhetoric. But guys like Jackson still love to say it. In fact, Jackson says this is why the Triangle hasn't worked so well for the Knicks -- because today's players "simply lack the skills to play" in such a system.
(Via ESPN)
In a December interview with Charley Rosen published Friday on Today's Fastbreak, Phil Jackson bemoans the lack of fundamental skills in today's NBA and how they hurt the Knicks' attempts to run the triangle offense. "Today's players simply lack the skills to play the triangle. They know how to play one-on-one, catch-and-shoot, and they've mastered crossover dribbles, spins, playing off of screens and step-back shots. They don't know how to execute things like inside-reverse pivots and other basic footwork. They have no sense of timing or organization. They don't really know how to play five-on-five basketball," he said. The Knicks will continue to run the triangle this season. Sounds like new coach Jeff Hornacek will have plenty of teaching to do.
Jackson isn't the only coach with strong beliefs about his preferred system or style of play. Gregg Popovich hates the 3-point shot, says he finds it gimmicky, but he also makes sure his team is one of the best at taking advantage of the most important shot in modern basketball. Upon accepting the Warriors' job, Steve Kerr was going to play a more traditional style of basketball until David Lee got hurt, Draymond Green stepped in, and the Warriors became the standard for small-ball excellence.
In other words, adaptability is key.
Jackson isn't budging, and of course when his offense doesn't work in the modern game it's because the players aren't skilled enough. While Jackson isn't coaching anymore, he's basically coaching from afar. He's building a team and then asking the coach to run a certain offensive system. While there were other problems outside of the Xs and Os with Derek Fisher, Jackson was upset when Fisher tried to go with a little more pick-and-roll than straight Triangle action.
Phil wants this done in a very specific way, almost stubbornly trying to prove it was the system and not just Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant that was responsible for his historic success.
Some of the best offensive systems of today (Kerr's, Pop's, Mike D'Antoni's) have all stolen elements of the Triangle and found a way to use them in a more modern way. That's the adaptability people talk about with successful coaches today. Instead, Jackson seems intent on just saying players don't have the right skills to make it work. Is it that players don't have the right skills or the game has evolved? Is it that players don't have the right skills or is it that he's not putting together the right team?
The NBA's skill level is at an all-time high, as is the strategy. If that doesn't fit the Triangle in Phil's mind, is it the players or the system that don't fit for him? At what point do you adapt or just get better at bringing in players?
