The Triangle Offense – Two-Man Side (Pt. 1) by Adam Spinella

Written by Coach Peterman

I have coached at the NCAA Division 2 (Southwestern Oklahoma State University), NAIA (USAO), and JUCO Levels (Blinn College and Carl Albert State College) as well as high school. I just felt that fellow coaches especially young coaches need to constantly work on their “game”. Just like the basketball players that we coach. We as coaches need to improve ourselves. That is my story and why I do this blog.

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September 14, 2014

The Triangle Offense – Two-Man Side (Pt. 1) by Adam Spinella

triangle offense

So we’ve covered the first option within the Triangle Offense, a post entry from the wing or corner. The second option for the wing to find is a post back to the top, a wing-to-wing pass. Any pass to 3 or 4 becomes a two-man action between 3 and 4. Easily the area for the most creativity within the Triangle Offense, these two-man actions are versatile actions that are run between a guard and a big, a wing and a big, or a wing and a wing.

There are a multitude of actions and options from the two-man side of the Triangle Offense. We’ll show and break down quite a few of them, and we’ll start with the most common action and the one that flows back into the Triangle Offense most regularly.

Pinch Side Ballscreen:
This allows for a two-man game with time, space and freelance ability. While the Triangle is thought of as a highly formative set of rules and movements to follow, this allows two players to be creative with each other and break the norm of rules. While it is not shown, this starts with the 2 passing out of the strong-side triangle and into the two-man game. As he hits 3 at the top of the key, 4 ducks in at the elbow (called the pinch post) with his back to the basket. 3 passes to 4 there, and 4 keeps his back to the basket.

triangle offense

On the weak side (the triangle side) we see 2 set a downscreen for 1, as they exchange on the weak side. This is to occupy the weak-side defenders from being able to help in the lane. This was gone over during Part Four of the Triangle breakdown.

3 then curls over the top of 4, into the mid post. As he curls over, 4 will then turn and face the basket, addressing the situation by looking for 3 to cut to the rim, 5 to duck-in for a hi-lo pass, or 1 or 2 to be open on a skip pass after their screening action. 4 has a multitude of options here. Passing to 3 would be for a layup or a post isolation for 3. Passing to 5 would lead to a shot, and passing to 1 or 2 would simply re-initiate the strong side triangle.

Frame Two shows 3 popping back up to the wing after curling over 4. As he does this, 4 passes to him, then immediately sets the side ballscreen. 4 will roll or pop on the empty side based off what is in his range, and 3 comes off looking to attack the rim, hit 4 off the pocket pass or distribute to the well-spaced weak side.

There is another ballscreen option between the two-man game, this one coming from the pinch post.

Pinch PNR:

triangle offense

As 2 passes out of the triangle and into 3, 4 comes out of the pinch post to set the tight middle ballscreen for 3. 2 and 1 engage in the weak side action, exchanging in the corner. As 3 drags his dribble off to the weak side, 4 can either roll to the rim or pop to the free throw line, looking to get a throwback from 3. This set is a great one to isolate 3 on the wing as well. You see in the second frame that if 3 drags out his dribble and 4 pops high, 5 can simply follow the ball block-to-block and create the strong side triangle.

Pinch ISO:

triangle offense

The Triangle Offense is based off individual shot-making to an extent, so the reason it has been so successful for Phil Jackson teams is that he always has a star player to isolate within the offense. The isolation usually comes out of the pinch post, although it can also come from the post (option #1 within the offense). This frame shows the isolation in the pinch post and at the elbow for 4. The spacing is naturally created within the triangle, and 3 and 4 can get crafty with how they play with each other on the same side of the court.

Coach Adam Spinella is entering his first season as an Assistant Coach at Culver Academies in Culver, IN. Spinella spent the three years prior as a Student Assistant Coach at Division III Dickinson College. The Dickinson Men’s Team advanced to two NCAA Tournaments and accumulated an overall record of 59-26 (.694) during the three-year span, with the 2013-2014 season ending in the Division III Elite Eight. A native of Bow, New Hampshire, Spinella has a keen interest in X’s and O’s, particularly in professional basketball, and skill development.

triangle offense