Why not try the triangle offense?

[Hatertots]

I don't have a deep knowledge of basketball and I'm not going to pretend like I do, but it seems to me like the triangle offense matches our personnel pretty well. We've got:

a PG who can score (Law IV, more on his rep outta college, I haven't seen enough to say if he's a NBA scorer)

a SF who can shoot, pass, and has a high BBIQ (Chillvin)

a SG who's a scorer (Joe)

and a center who can pass (Horford)

It seems to me like this offense would help out our PG's since it keeps their options simple- pass it to Al or pass it to Chill or bust the 3 if you're open (possibly gives Salim a defined role?).

In the two man game with JJ and Smoove, the triangle would allow Joe to shoot or drive and reduce the number of double teams he sees. Smoove would get opportunities for easy points by staying near and cutting to the basket and taking advantage of the passing lanes created by the triangle's floor spacing. More importantly, it keeps him inside the arc, from now until eternity.

It seems like an offensive system the fits the Hawks' strengths pretty well (I guess by 'strengths' I'm referring to JJ's game and Horford's passing ability) and help to mask how weak our PGs are (I hope).

So why not the triangle offense? Like I said, I'm no basketball expert so what are some problems the Hawks would have trying to run the triangle? I could see Al needing a more refined post game to make the offense work, but he seems hardworking and intelligent and he comes from a winning background. He's a solid bet to improve. And honestly, even if there were kinks to work out, could it be any worse than the offense we have right now?

Hit a basketball novice up with your wisdom, you sages of Hawksquawk!

[Buzzard]

Woody can barely handle a two player pick and roll. Now you want to include three and two? You are only going to confuse him more.

[Guest]

Hey if you can get Smoove to shoot as much as Rodman did (averaged 5.8 attempts over his career with a max of 7.7) then I am all for this. Fact is, Smoove has averaged 8.1, 9.7, 13.8, and now 15 attempts a game. This isn't the only reason a triangle won't work with this team, but I certainly agree that having a triangle offense would be better than what we have right now.

[Buzzard]

Quote:

---

Hey if you can get Smoove to shoot as much as Rodman did (averaged 5.8 attempts over his career with a max of 7.7) then I am all for this. Fact is, Smoove has averaged 8.1, 9.7, 13.8, and now 15 attempts a game. This isn't the only reason a triangle won't work with this team, but I certainly agree that having a triangle offense would be better than what we have right now.

---

That is a great response. I could see Smoove's game growing into one similar to Rodman's. I just do not think he takes enough pride in rebounding and defense. His ego gets in the damn way and he wakes up every morning thinking he has to be like JJ...

[Hatertots]

Quote:

---

Hey if you can get Smoove to shoot as much as Rodman did (averaged 5.8 attempts over his career with a max of 7.7) then I am all for this. Fact is, Smoove has averaged 8.1, 9.7, 13.8, and now 15 attempts a game. This isn't the only reason a triangle won't work with this team, but I certainly agree that having a triangle offense would be better than what we have right now.

---

Yeah, Josh would definitely have to shoot less, but he wouldn't see the ball as much in the triangle as he does now. And I really wouldn't mind him shooting the ball nine or ten times a game as long as the majority of those shots were coming on putbacks and easy looks around the basket, exactly the kind of looks I think he'd see in that offense.

Of all the players on the Hawks, he's the one I think could benefit most from playing in the triangle as long as he buys into the system and stays down low and away from his outside shot.

What are some of the other reasons you think the Hawks would have trouble with the triangle?

[Guest]

I also am not going to BS something I don't have great knowledge about, for instance the triangle offense. But to answer what else I don't think would work about the triangle would be our coach wouldn't be effective in teaching our players. Also its a time-consuming offense, which doesn't mean it won't work its just a critic that it takes too long for it to be effective. In your analysis of our players, I disagree that Horford is a good passer from the limited time I have seen so far.

I don't mean to bash your idea at all because I do think that it is a good idea. I just wanted to be a little critical about our personnel.

[leftwich]

Quote:

---

In your analysis of our players, I disagree that Horford is a good passer from the limited time I have seen so far.

---

He is good at passing to the top of the key or weakside from the low post, however...just like Shaq used to find Derek Fisher or Rick Fox when he was being doubled. In the couple of Florida games I watched over the summer I saw Al do this a lot.

I agree that the triangle offense takes awhile to get used to because I remember analysts making that claim when Phil Jackson brought it to LA. I don't understand why it does since it looks fairly simple.

Found this link when I searched triangle offense in google.

http://www.cybersportsusa.com/hooptactics/triangle.asp

[Diesel]

Being that we lack a true PG, a triangle is not that bad of an option. The only problem is that Chillz is the only Sf we have capable of running the offense.

The other thing about the offense is that it would reduce Smoove's role (PF) to being a rebounder/defender. To me, that's a good thing (right now) but I think Smoove would definitely Sulk day in and day out and would probably push himself into ineffectiveness.

What we need is:

A Three point shooter.

A PG.

A low post scorer.

Ridnour and Gasol..