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Basketball Offense - The Triangle Offense

TheTriangle half-court offenseoriginated with Sam Barry at the University of

Southern California many years ago. It was further developed by formerKansas State head coach Tex Winter, who had played under Barry. Winterwent on as assistant coach to Phil Jackson and the triangle offense wasinstrumental in the Chicago Bulls (Michael Jordan, et al) winning a number ofNBA championships. Winter has also been a consultant to the LA Lakers.Some college teams have adapted it, including the Tennessee Lady Vols,UConn's Lady Huskies, and Tara VanDerveer's Stanford Cardinals. Thisarticle discusses the triangle in some depth with numerous diagrams belowpointing out many of the options. Many of these diagrams point out how theoffensive player(s) read and react to the defense.The triangle offense is detailed and takes a while to learn, but is very effectiveonce players learn how to read and react to the defense. The offense can beconfusing for the defense as it can be initiated in many different ways... notthe same way with every possession (see "Establishing the Triangle"below).Spacingis key, with players about 15-18 feet apart. The basic structureof the triangle offense is the "sideline triangle" on one side of the floor, and a"two-man game" on the weakside. The sideline triangle is formed by a postplayer on the block and two perimeter players, one in the corner and one onthe wing, and can be set up on either side of the court (diagrams A and B).The "two-man" weakside offense consists of a guard at the top, and a playerat the weakside elbow-extended area. Players can interchange, but it's usuallybest to have two post and three perimeter players.

The spacing stretches the defense to defend both sides of the court, and thiscreates a problem for the helpside defense and defensive trapping. Unlike afree-lance motion offense,players should be looking to fill the five spots. Butlike a motion offense, playersread and reactto the defense without having tocall set plays.


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Establishing the Triangle

First, before discussing all of the options, we will outline the many ways, or

entries, to get into the set. This can be confusing to the defense, and there isa counter for just about anything the defense throws at us. In each case, wewant the ball on the wing and establish the sideline triangle.

1-2-2 set

In diagram C above, starting in a 1-2-2 set, O5 and O4 down-screen for O2and O3, who cut out to the wings. The pass goes from O1 to the wing. O1 willcut to the ball-side corner, and the triangle is formed, with O5 in the low post.The weakside wing moves up to the top and the weakside post player moves

to the weakside elbow-extended area. O2, O1 and O5 form the sidelinetriangle. O3 and O4 are positioned to run the "two-man game".

Point guard inside cut

In diagram D, O1 passes to O2 and cuts inside, off O5's screen (near the ball-side elbow). O2 has the option of passing to O1 on the give and go for apossible lay-up from O1 (diagram E). If the pass from O2 is not there, O1 canmove to the ball-side corner (diagram D), while O5 drops back down to theblock. Or O1 could cut to the opposite corner (diagram F). In this case, theball is reversed to the top to O3, and then to O4 who has stepped out on thewing, while O5 cuts to the left block... and now the triangle is established onthe left side. O2 and O3 would now be the weakside "two-man game", with O2dropping inside a little near the weakside elbow.


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Point guard outside cut

In diagram G, O1 passes to O2 and cuts outside O2 to the corner, and thetriangle is set. An option here is a hand-off from O2 to O1. If the X1 defenderis screened by O2, O1 can drive to the hoop (diagram H). Recognizing this,O5 slides up to the elbow for spacing and a possible pass there from O1. If

the X1 defender goes under the screen (diagram I), O1 can pull up and shootthe jump shot. If the X2 and X1 defenders switch the screen (diagram J), O1and O2 run a pick and roll.

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Dribble entry - wing pass denied

When the pass to the wing is being denied, O1 can simply dribble to the wing,as O2 slides down to the corner (diagram K). Sometimes, with X2 overplayingthe pass, O2 can back-cut for a pass from O1 (diagram L). Here again, O5slides up to the elbow.


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Diagram M shows O1 dribbling right and O2 cutting through to the oppositecorner. The ball is reversed from O1 to O3 on the top, and then to O4 (whohas stepped out to the wing). O5 cuts to the left block, and now the triangleestablished on the left side. O1 and O3 are now the "two-man game".

Weakside guard cuts to ball-side corner

Diagram N shows O1 passing to O2, but this time O3 cuts through to the ball-side corner, while O1 replaces O3 at the top.

Weakside post cuts to ball-side corner

Diagram O again shows O1 passing to O2. O5 screens for O4 and O4 cuts to

the ball-side corner. O3 drops into the weakside elbow to replace O4, and O1replaces O3 at the top.

Any player could play the low post

Although X5 and X4 are our main post players, any player can post up on thelow block. This strategy could be effective when there is a size mis-match withone of the guards, or a perimeter defender is in foul trouble... so we post uphis man and try to get another foul on him/her. We simply move O5 out to thecorner and let another player take the low post. Diagram P shows O1 posting

up. Diagram Q has O3 in the post (O1 replaces O3 on top). In diagram R, O4posts up, while O3 drops inside to replace O4 and O1 replaces O3.


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Weave-screen (dribble hand-off) entryAnother way to set up the offense is shown in diagram S.Here, O1 does a weave-screen (dribble hand-off) with O3.Often the X2 defender will drop inside to hedge on the dribbleby O3. This allows for an easy pass to O2 on the wing, andO3 cuts through to the ball-side corner. O1 moves to the top.

Wing denial - ball reversal

Above we mentioned that if X2 denies the pass to O2, O1 could simply dribble

to the wing as O2 slides to the corner. Another option (when the wing pass is

denied) is to reverse the ball to the opposite side. In diagram T, O1 passes to

O3 and cuts through to the opposite corner. O3 passes to O4 on the wing and

O5 cuts to the left low block. O2 moves to the weakside elbow-extended area.

Diagram U shows the same reversal but with O2 cutting to the opposite

corner, and O1 dropping inside to the weakside elbow-extended area.

Diagram V again shows the ball-reversal, but this time O3 cuts to the corner,

with O2 dropping inside to the weakside elbow-extended area.


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Another example ofball-reversalis a skip pass from the low post to the

opposite wing (diagram W). O2 passes in to O5. O1 cuts baseline for a

possible hand-off from O5. If the hand-off is not there, O1 continues through

(getting a screen from O4) and moves to the opposite corner. O5 skip passes

to O3 on the opposite wing and O1, O3 and O4 create the triangle. DiagramsX and Y show reversal again, beginning with O2 passing to O1 in the corner,

and then making a give and go cut. O2 goes through, again receiving a

screen from O4. O5 now runs a pick and roll with O1. As O1 dribbles around

O5's screen into the top seam, in addition to the pick and roll options, or a

jump shot from O1, there is an option for ball reversal with a kick-out pass to

O3 on the left wing. The triangle again is established with O3, O2 and O4.

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