The impact of Tex Winter’s triangle offense

Phil Jackson’s open mind regarding Tex Winter’s triangle offense changed everything for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s.

© Anne Ryan-USA TODAY NETWORK

Many consider the triangle offense one of the main factors that helped the Chicago Bulls dominate the NBA during the 1990s. It is a scheme that involves three players forming a triangle on the court, emphasizing constant motion, passing, and cutting to create scoring opportunities.

Tex Winter developed it in the 1960s, and it became popular when he convinced Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson to implement it in the 1990s.

“Under Winter’s ideal, perfected over four decades of coaching at various levels, the Bulls’ attack would be a more balanced, more nuanced system based largely upon spacing and open spots,” Jeff Pearlman wrote in his book “Three-Ring Circus.”

Winter joined the Bulls in 1985, and he was one of the assistant coaches under Doug Collins from 1986 to 1989. Winter constantly tried to convince Collins to embrace the triangle offense, but as Pearlman wrote, Collins banished Winter “to a spot alongside the Gatorade jug.”

Jackson was all in on the triangle offense

Teamwork and communication are necessary in order to succeed with the triangle offense because players have to read their movements and react quickly.

While Michael Jordan initially referred to it as “that equal opportunity offense,” Jackson urged him to give it a chance.

“He wanted the Bulls to be a free-flowing offensive machine, where defenders could no longer triumph simply by double-teaming the league’s best player. “The important thing,” he told Jordan, “is to let everybody touch the ball so they won’t feel like spectators. You can’t beat a good defensive team with one man. It’s got to be a team effort,” Pearlman wrote.

Jackson coached the Bulls from 1989 to 1998, winning six NBA Championships. His open mind to Winter’s triangle offense played a big part. It was also important that Jackson understood his players and how to talk to them.

According to former Bulls forward Corie Blount, something about Jackson caused players to buy into what he said. 

“It never felt like bluster coming from him. He had a plan for everything,” Blount told Pearlman.

The triangle worked for the Lakers as well

Jackson and Winter also used the triangle offense with the Lakers, leading them to five NBA Championships.

Many have criticized the triangle offense, saying it’s difficult to learn and execute, but the Bulls and Lakers teams won a combined 11 NBA Championships using it, so it can’t be denied that it is highly effective when executed correctly.