TEX 'VL~TER'S TRIPLE POST OFFENSE The Triple Post Offense or Triangle as it is called by some coaches is an effective offensive

attack that primarily uses the give and go concept of offensive movement. It is a quick hitting attack that is based upon the ability of the offensive players to read and react to the defense they are facing. It is basically a three pass offense. It has been used effectively at all basketball ability levels for over thirty years. Although this offense has been effective for many years, its popularity has been recently rejuvenated by the World Champion Chicago Bulls and their success in the 1\TBA.While the offense is very sound, it should be noted that it is not any more effective than many other offenses that could be run. It is not a panacea. It is only one of many means to an end. The following criteria must be met when selecting an offense for one's team. This is the first consideration before selecting any offense. 1. Does the offense incorporate the offensive fundamentals that the coach wishes to utilize and teach? Does the offense fit the coach's philosophy? 2. Does the offense fit the personnel? 3. Is the offense versatile enough to be used against various defenses? 4. Do the players totally understand the offense? Is it comfortable for them? 5. Do the players accept this offense and believe the offense will produce opportunities for each of them? 6. Does the offense produce the desired results against the best teams on the schedule? These criteria must be met no matter what offense is selected. The Triple Post Offense worked well for the Chicago Bulls because their management, coaching staff and players accepted it as their offense (the offense was empowered by the organization). Why did the Triple Post Offense not work for the Dallas Mavericks? Did the organization embrace the offense? Did the coaching staff know how to teach the offense? There may be a variety of reasons but the end result was that the players did not accept the offense. They did not believe it fit them. This offense or any offense must be embraced by all parties. As Tex Winter, Chicago Bull's Assistant and developer of the Triple Post Offense, has said, "It is the way we teach not what we are teaching that counts." "It is not the system but the execution of the system," adds Winter, that makes the system work. This offense will only be as good as the personnel who run it and the coaches who teach it. There are many other offenses that can run as effectively as this offense and it must be noted that the Bulls run this offense only 60% of the time.

-2There are some aspects of this offense that do not fit every team. The Chicago Bulls did not win the 1\13A title with this offense without Horace Grant and Michael Jordan. When Jordan returned to the Bulls in 1994-95, the offense did not provide a World Championship that year either. The following points may help explain the previous paragraph. Consider these points. 1. Does the team need to have three different people filling the low post spot? 2. If the answer to question number one is yes, then are the people filling the post able to comfortably play on the wing? 3. Does the personnel have the ability to get to the basket quickly from the corners of the floor and score on shots coming off the baseline from a "flat" angle? 4. The Bulls flow into this offense when the gain possession of the ball. Is this compatible with the coach's transition philosophy? 5. Does the team have personnel who can shoot the long range jump shot from either corner of the court (e.g. Paxton - Steve Kerr)? There will almost always be a player in the corner of the floor who is open for this shot. 6. Are the players executing this offense skilled as passers? 7. Do the players executing this offense know how to vary their speed on cuts? 9. Does the team using this offense have an outstanding offensive rebounder (Horace Grant or Dennis Rodman - examples)? The Bulls did not win without Grant or Rodman in the Power Forward position because this offense does not lend itself to good offensive rebounding position. 10. If the team using this offense has a creative, talented point guard who is an effective vertical penetrator like Jason Kidd of Dallas, then the offense does not fit. The vertical penetrator has limited opportunities to get inside the defense off the dribble. It must be noted that the Bulls do not have a penetrating point guard like Kidd or Gary Payton of Seattle. 11. There are more intersects (interchanges) than there are screens in this offense so the coach that wants to teach screening and use screening within this offense

-3-

will have to make adjustments. This offense is predicated on various cuts out of a give go (pass and cut) situation. SOME KEYS TO RUNNING THE OFFENSE

1. The offense begins the moment the team gains possession of the ball and it is run the entire '94 of the floor. 2. Pass to the first open man and cut. Never pass and stand. It is a constant movement offense. The offense is based on the give and go (pass and cut) offensive principle. 3. The offensive players must learn to read and react to the defense. The defense dictates the cuts to be made. This puts the defense at a constant disadvantage. 4. Players must learn to playoff of each other and play without the ball while maintaining a spacing of' 15 to '18. A player must learn that by moving it will enable them to always be ready to receive the ball for a scoring opportunity. 5. Learning the timing on cuts is essential for the players - speed cuts, timing cuts, changing direction CU~I etc. 6. The players must learn to dribble the ball under control at the proper speed for the developing offensive situation. 7. This is a three pass offense. It can be more but that must be developed in practice. First pass is the entry pass. The second pass triggers the movement and the third pass is the ball reversal pass that may lead to other passes. Players must make good passes not just passes to get rid of the ball. The pass must lead to the shot, move or another good pass. 8. The players must master footwork at the various floor positions. It will take some time to teach all the players the footwork that is essential to make the offense work.

-4-

SOME TRIPLE POST TERMS

Blind Pig - this is run from a two guard front with a post pass and the opposite guard cutting to the basket. Backdoor - the weakside forw-ard flashes in the high post to relieve pressure from the wing and the top guard cuts behind the flashing forward to score a lay-up. Pinch Post - Post players establishing position on the side oflane. Guard Squeeze - the wing player sets a screen near the lane. Line of Deployment - the passing line from the wing to the low post. Moment of Truth - where the player bringing the ball up the court is first comfronted by the defense. Line of Truth - where the two players defending the guards line up to defend their basket. Space Awareness or Consciousness - Each player playing' 15 to '18 from each other. Flow - the movement of the offense from the time of possession through until the shot is taken. Passes Long Pass - the pass to start the transition. First Pass - the entry pass to start the offense Second Pass - the pass that triggers the cuts within the 'Offense. Third Pass - the pass that reverses the ball. Playing without the Ball - players learning how to playoff of each while maintaining the , 15 to '18 spacing. Dribble Weave - An offensive maneuver when the ball man takes the ball to a teammate and hands off. Intersect (interchange) - When two offensive players cross each others path on a cut to the ball to distract or possibly force a switch by the defense. Switch Cut - Any cut that is made when the defense switches on screens. Diagonal- the cut made by the guard to the opposite corner of the floor. Bull's Head - the two spots on the Bull's court marked by a Bull's head where the wing players establish offensive position when coming down the court. Lane Runners - These are players who are designated to run left and right lanes to expedite the offensive transition. Post Sprinter - the 4 or 5 man who runs the floor after a score or rebound to get to the block in transition. Weakside - the two man side of the offensive court. Strongside - the three man side of the offensive court. Lag Principle - the guard opposite the ball is staying behind the ball man in order to receive the ball if the at the moment of truth the guard with the ball wants to pass guard to guard. Cuts - (other cuts are explained in the hand-out) Speed Cut - a quick, all-out cut to a certain spot on the floor. Timing Cut - a cut employing the variation of speed in order to get open or intersect with a teammate. Bump Down - the guard dribbling the ball to the wing forces the wing to go to the corner.

-5SOl\IE TRIPLE POST THOUGHTS

It is not the system but the execution of the system that counts. Systems succeed and fail based on execution of the minute details of the basic fundamentals. A complete mastery of the individual fundamentals is the first objective. Learn to play without the ball. Accurate passing is the key to making the offense work. Players must be able to recognize an opportunity when it presents itself In transition, players must be drilled to race each other to fill the lanes. Never dribble when a pass is available. Pass to the man ahead as soon as he is open.

A great team has poise.

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