The Triangle Offense as a Blueprint for Teaching Offense

Basketball BC Super Conference 2015

General Offensive Philosophy

1.
Agree and disagree Believe you need to teach structure then teach
decision making within that structure.
Why? Time constraints | Better conceptual framework
Decision Training vs. Behavioral Training Blocked vs. Random
2. Goal of Offense = Get a shot every possession (Unrealistic to score every
possession)
Most important aspect = Shot Definition (Get a good shot every
possession)
How define good shot Ask teammates
3. There are not sets or styles that are hard to guard Players are hard to
guard (Stan Van Gundy).
Use offense to create attack opportunity for best match-ups.
The match- .
4. Player Development
The most open you are going to get when you first catch the ball
(Chuck Daly).
Attack mentality on catch Rip, Shot Fake, Shot or are a passer
5. Develop decision making
Single hardest thing to do is to get players to think.
Only way I know they are thinking is if they are talking therefore ask
questions (What is your thought process? What did you see that
caused you to make that decision? What was an alternative to the
decision you made?).

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Every Offense Must Account for Each of These Factors

- Determined by your personnel, philosophy & best case scenarios for your
.

A. Post Reaction Decisions players make when ball goes into post.
B. Penetration Reaction Set spots players go to on a dribble attack or on a
lateral dribble.
C. Pressure Release What happens when ball is dead vs. defensive
pressure.
D. Entry How are you getting the ball to where it needs to go to initiate.
E. Switches What are you doing vs. switches.

Triangle Offense as a Blue Print

A. Wing Pass (Inside Cut)

B. Top Top Pass (Flex & Follow/Screener Seal/Screener Flash/Screener Step
Out/Pin)
C. Post Reaction (Cutter/Relocation/Screens/Hold Spots)
D. Penetration Reaction (Push-Pull on Lateral Dribble/Post-Perimeter
Movements)
E. Pressure Release (Post Entry/Backdoor Spot/Penetration)
F. Entry (Push the Wing/Direct to Post/Dribble at the Trail & Bring Low Post
Up/Set Play/Turnouts/Inverts)
G. Vs. Switch (Reject/Bring the Ball to Match-Ups)
H. Two-Player Actions (Ballscreen/Handoffs/
I. Isolations (Low Post/High Post)

Entry into Offense

- Distort look of offense by having multiple entries. Also helps with

relieving initial defensive pressure.
1. Pass to Wing
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2. Dribble Push Wing to the Corner
3. Pass to Trail

4. Circle

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 5. Drag Down

Drills to Build Offense: Games Approach to Coaching

- Play the Game - Learn the Tactics - Learn the Skill

- Players practice the skills in conditions that relate to the game.
- The players develop an understanding of the game and identify the
technical and tactical skills required.
- Best drills are the ones you create for the situation you need developed.
- Decide what you need to develop and create a 3-on-3, 4-on-4 or 5-on-5
situation.
- Defensive context is necessary for development of decision training so
we mainly practice the offense vs. live defense.

Why We Like the Triangle Offense?

It incorporates our principles of Zero Seconds

- We can focus on using ball skills (dribbling, ballhandling, passing, shooting)

in fast-paced, rhythmic movements and attacks.
- Players can make decisive decisions on the catch with no pause about
whether to shoot, dribble or pass.
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 - Learning the offense helps create independent learners and performers that
removes the guidance from a coach, parent or teammate.
- The decision making opportunities lead to a free performance.
- It utilizes individual talents in positions on the floor they can be effective.

The triangle requires players to read and react. It is a structure that works best
with constant ball movement that makes reading and reacting easier. There is no
set pattern. Instead the offense runs as a sequence of options. Each pass keys the
next set of decisions. When executed properly the offense has energy and quick
ball movement. The ball and players move naturally in a series of patterns based

the situation correctly. The decisions (cut, pass, dribble, shoot) should be made in
zero seconds.

Progression of Reads

- Every pass sets in motion a predetermined offensive reaction depending on

- Each new pass keys the next set of options.

- The players learn these multiple options and simply take the option that the
defense is allowing.
- The defense is wrong if you make the right read because there is a counter
for every defensive coverage.

Advantages of the Triangle

1. Flow - There is often a grey area between transition and half court where a
lot of teams get lost. With the triangle, you keep that rhythm going.
2. Teamwork Opportunities evolve from 2-player or 3-player sequences.
3. Spacing It provides a court spacing balance to prevent opposing offenses
to get easy buckets in transition.
4. Positionless No one player is set in one spot and positions are easily
inverted to take advantage of match-ups.
5. High Percentage Shots It can create post ups, basket attacks and
penetration opportunities if run properly.

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 6. Adaptable The only adjustment necessary from season to season is an
emphasis on a particular series of options, so that certain individual abilities
and strengths might be utilized.

How We Modify It

1. Updated terminology that makes sense.

2. Transition is the first option, followed by quick secondary actions.
3. If you have a direct line to the basket, break the offense and go to the
basket.
4. Flare and follow; and not just backdoor cut on the pass to the backdoor
spot.

5. Three seconds to get the ball over ½ court.

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6. On post entry we send the high player on a basket cut and fill out of the
corner to the 45. This creates a pass out ballscreen option.

7. High low emphasis on the backdoor spot cat

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