From 1990 to 2010, the triangle offense (also known as the Triple Post Offense) was by far the
most dominant offense in basketball.
During this time, the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers used the triangle offense to captured
11 NBA championships.
Some of the greatest players to ever step on the court thrived in the triangle offense including
Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille ONeal, and Pau Gasol to name a few.
One might say that the reason the triangle offense is so effective is because it had the above
players running it. I wouldnt disagree with that, but no one can argue that this offense is very
effective at putting players in great positions for them to score the basketball.
It is best utilized by players with a high basketball IQ and great basketball fundamentals.
There are an endless number of potential actions out of the triangle offense (far too many to cover
in this guide) which is what makes it such a deadly offense. It can be customized to take
advantage of the strengths of the team as a whole and the strengths of the individual players.
Unlike set plays where there are pre-determined decisions and actions, the triangle offense relies
on the players reading the defense and making the best basketball play depending on the options
available.
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Where Did the Triangle Offense Originate?
While Tex Winters name springs to mind for many when discussing the origins of the triangle
offense, it was actually Sam Barry at the University of Southern California who designed the
original offensive system that would later become the triangle offense.
Tex Winter was one of Sam Barrys players and believed in the offense so much that he would later
expand and improve the system while coaching various roles at universities including Kansas State
University and Marquette University.
In 1985, and after many more years of coaching college basketball and perfecting the offense, Tex
Winter accepted an assistant coaching role with the Chicago Bulls where he would eventually team
up with Phil Jackson to install the triangle offense on a Bulls team that was in desperate need of a
team-focused offense.
The result?
6 with the Chicago Bulls and 5 with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Continuity Offense The triangle offense can be run continuously until an open scoring
opportunity presents. This is unlike set plays that have a predetermined finishing point where if the
offense didnt get a good shot, they now must improvise without structure.
Develops Basketball IQ As players are required to read the defense throughout the offensive
possession and make decisions based on the other players on the court, this is a great offense for
developing basketball IQ further.
Involves All Players The triangle offense doesnt allow any one player to dominate the
basketball for a majority of the possession. The basketball must be passed around and all players
are involved in the offense at all times even if theyre not in possession of the basketball.
Players Must Memorize the Offense This is one of the main reasons I dont recommend the
triangle offense for youth teams. There are a lot of actions to memorize. Every single decision
made by a player on offense results in a series of specific next actions. All players must have these
memorized by heart for the offense to consistently be successful.
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Requires a High Level of Fundamentals There are certain cuts and passes throughout the
triangle offense which require a high level of fundamentals to be done successfully. If your players
cant fake before cuts and passes, dont have the ability to change speed and direction, and cant
attack the defense 1-on-1, the triangle offense might not be best for your team.
Youre Handing Control to the Players Ive listed this in disadvantages because I feel thats the
way most coaches will feel when first implementing the offense. Understand that by running the
triangle offense the coach will no longer have full control of the offense. The players must read the
difference and make decisions. It takes a strong-minded coach to be comfortable with this.
I do not recommend this offense for youth basketball due to the experience necessary to make the
correct passing decisions and read the defense. Though I have watched youth teams that could
definitely be successful using the triangle offense.
I do highly recommend the triangle offense for the high school level and up.
If youve got players who were raised on development-focused teams and have great basketball
fundamentals, the triangle offense can be very effective way to further develop their basketball
skills and IQ.
To be more specific, It can be difficult for teams to be successful with the triangle offense without a
low post player who can both score and pass at a high level since so much of the offense is run
through the post.
These 5 spots on the court are the main positions within the
triangle offense structure and must be filled whenever the
triangle offense is set up.
Position #2 Trigger The trigger is located on the wing and will usually possess the basketball
after an entry. The passing option that they make from this position will dictate the entire offense so
its important to put a smart player in this position.
Position #3 Post The post is located on the high side of the low block and should be
positioned directly between the trigger and the basket (line of deployment). The high positioning
allows players to cut above and below with space. The post player is preferably a good passer and
can also finish in the post in a one-on-one situation.
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Position #4 Trail The trail is located at the top of the key when the team has entered into the
offense. This player is most likely the other guard and should be able to hit the outside shot as well
as cut and create off the dribble.
Position #5 Opposite The opposite player is located approximately a step off the weakside
mid-post. This player is likely the other post player but should be capable of interchanging with all
positions on the floor.
***
If the post defender chooses to front or half-front the low post, theyve been deployed. With smart
passing, this should always result in a high-percentage scoring opportunity for the low post.
If the defender half-fronts from the high side, the trigger passes to the corner and then the corner
passes inside.
If the defender half-fronts from the low side, the trigger passes to the top and the top passes
inside.
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As you can see, if youve got a smart low post player, this can be a fantastic offense to run which
will result in them getting a lot of great scoring opportunities close to the rim.
1. The low post players ability to recognize that their defender is deployed and being able to
quickly adjust their positioning to take advantage of it.
2. The perimeter players being able to quickly recognize the post defender is deployed and being
able to make the correct pass that will give the low post player the best advantage inside.
Without great spacing, the offense has very little chance of being effective.
Why 15 18 feet?
To teach the correct spacing to your players, I highly recommend investing in flat cones that you
can place in the correct positions on the court. That way players will always know whether theyre
in the right spots.
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Entries into the Triangle Offense
As with all offenses, the triangle offense starts with getting everyone into the correct positions to
run the offense. This means forming the sideline triangle and the two-man game on the weak side.
There are many initial formations that you can use to enter into the offense (1-2-2, 1-3-1, 1-4, etc),
but my favorite is the 2-2-1 formation.
I prefer setting up from the 2-2-1 formation because a two-guard front allows for an extra player to
pass to if the offense is having difficulty advancing the basketball up the court or provides an extra
defender if the basketball is turned over.
This extra player is crucial if youre coaching a youth basketball or high school basketball team as
these situations occur often.
For that reason, in this article, Ill be focusing on entries into the triangle offense out of the 2-2-1
formation.
It involves 1 making the pass to 2 and then cutting in-between 2 and 5 to the corner position.
5 slides over and establishes position high on the low block, 3 slides to the top of the key, and 4
moves close to the mid-post area on the weak side.
5 slides over and establishes position high on the low block, 3 slides to the top of the key, and 4
moves close to the mid-post area on the weak side.
This can be the best option if 2 catches the basketball closer to the three-point line than usual or if
it looks like 2 can make the immediate pass down low to 5.
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Entry #3 UCLA Cut
5 steps up and sets a up-screen at the ball-side elbow area. 1 passes to 2 and then makes a UCLA
cut looking for the pass and layup.
If the pass isnt available, 1 clears out to the corner and the 5 slides back down to the low post.
3 slides to the top of the key and 4 moves to the mid-post area.
5 slides over and establishes position high on the low block, 3 slides to the top of the key, and 4
moves close to the mid-post area on the weak side.
This can be an effective entry if your lead guard is struggling to make the pass to the wing.
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Entry #5 Weak Side Entry
The weak side entry is a great variation to confuse the defense or if the lead guard is struggling to
make the pass to the wing.
It involves 1 reversing the basketball to 3 and then 4 stepping out and receiving the pass at the
trigger spot.
3 cuts through to the corner, 1 fills the top of the key, the player initially in the ball-side trigger spot
(2) becomes the opposite, and 5 slides over and establishes low post position.
From this position, you can send either the lead guard, trail, or opposite to the low post position.
For this example, well show the lead guard (1) cutting and establishing position on the low block.
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3 slides to the top of the key and 4 moves to the mid-post position on the weak side.
This is a great variation if youve got a post player who can play effectively on the perimeter, if
youve got a mismatch at another position, or if you want to drag the posts defender away from the
rim.
1 fills the corner with outside cut, 3 moves to the top of the key, and the player who was in the post
(5) now becomes the opposite and holds their position on the weak side mid-post.
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Choosing the Best Entries for Your Team
As you can see, there are an unlimited amount of entries into the initial triangle offense set. Feel
free to come up with your own that suit your teams strengths!
Choose 2 or 3 of the above entries that best suit your coaching style and the teams personnel
while putting players in different positions to succeed.
This will allow your players to enter into the offense using a variety of different movements while
not overwhelming them with too many options.
In its simplest form, the triangle offense can be broken down into two parts:
From the trigger position, there are 4 passing options that all lead to a different series of actions.
The trigger must read the defense and make the smartest pass to initiate the offense.
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Passing Option #1 Post Pass
The first option that 2 must look at is whether they can make a direct pass to 5 in the post.
Providing that the trigger and low post are lined up with the rim (line of deployment), this is often a
simple pass with little chance of turning the basketball over unless another defender is helping to
prevent it.
Refer to the Line of Deployment section of this blog post to understand what to do when the low
post defender is overplaying or denying this pass.
When this pass is made, unless 5 is in position for a quick score, 1 must immediately cut along the
baseline looking to receive a quick pass that can lead to a reverse layup. If they dont receive the
basketball, they cut out to the opposite wing.
A second later, 2 cuts above 5 and sets a screen on the 4s defender. This allows 4 to cut to the
high post and will often leave them open for the free-throw line jumper.
(TIP: These cuts must be made hard and with purpose! Any player jogging through these cuts is
letting the team down.)
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Both of these actions keep the weak side defense busy and allow the post player to back down in
the post and finish with a post move if they feel they have an advantage.
If none of those options result in an open shot, the basketball can be passed out to 3 at the top or
can be skip passed to 1 in the trigger spot.
The offense then sets back up and runs the offense again.
Another option out of the pass into the post is called post split.
Post split involves 1 setting a quick up screen for 2 who cuts baseline looking for the pass and
layup before cutting out to the weak-side wing.
A second later, the 1 cuts above 5 and sets a screen on the 4s defender.
(This option is simply reversing the roles of both players from the original option).
This has many fantastic options that you can take advantage of depending on the personnel on
your team.
Ill cover these option in the two-man game section in part B below.
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Option #3 Corner Pass
The third passing option for the trigger is to pass to is to the corner.
When 1 receives the basketball, the first thing they must look at is whether 5 has established good
low post position and if theres space for a pass inside and score.
If not, the 5 will step out and set a back screen for 2 who cuts to the rim looking for the basketball
and an open layup. If 2 doesnt receive the basketball, they cut out to the weak side corner.
5 immediately transitions from setting a back screen for the trigger spot to setting an on-ball screen
for 1 who will dribble up before receiving the screen to create more space.
This two-man game can be incredibly effective as the ball-side of the court has been cleared out
and the help defense will hesitate to rotate off the weak side mid-post or leave a player wide open
on the opposite side of the court.
There are two specific situations where the opposite player should flash to the basketball and
receive the pass:
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2. When the trail (3) is being denied the basketball
If 3s defender is denying the pass from the trigger spot, this is a great opportunity for blind pig
action.
This involves 4 flashing to the basketball, receiving the pass, and then dropping the pass off to 3
as they quickly backdoor cut towards the rim for the open layup catching their defender out of
position.
After 3 has cut through, 4 can look to face up their opponent and attack the rim if they have an
advantage.
As soon as the pass is made to 4, 1 sets up their defender by walking towards the key and then
cuts to the top off a down screen from 2.
If the immediate shot off the down screen is open, 4 passes to 1 for the shot.
If not, 1 will perform a dribble weave with 4 and receive the basketball off a quick dribble pitch or a
hand-off. This is a great opportunity to curl and attack the rim, pull up for a midrange shot, or drive
the basketball and finish or pass to 3 or 5 for easy scoring opportunities.
If theres no attacking opportunity, 1 can dribble to the trigger spot on the wing and the players can
set up the triangle offense to be run again.
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b. The Two-Man Game
The two-man game is often referred to as pinch post series to many coaches.
There are many, many variations out of this two-man setup that can lead to many great scoring
opportunities.
My recommendation is to select 2 or 3 of the variations provided below that best suit the personnel
on your team and give you a variety of options.
After making the pass, the 3 will immediately cut off the high post looking for the quick bounce
pass or hand-off leading to a layup. If 3 doesnt receive the pass, they clear out to the corner.
From here, 4 can face up and attack the basket if they have an advantage against their opponent.
If they dont have an advantage, 4 completes a hand-off or dribble weave with 1 who will be cutting
around up the top off a down screen from 2.
This will often lead to 1 getting an open midrange or three-point shot, a drive in for an open layup,
or a pass to either 3 or 5 on the drive to the hoop.
If attacking isnt an option, 1 dribbles out to the trigger spot and the players all adjust positions to
get to the start of the triangle offense once again.
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Option #2 On-Ball Screen
The next option you have out of pinch post is an on-ball
screen.
If the weak side post defender helps across, it will lead to a bounce pass and layup for 5.
2 sets the down screen for 1 to cut to the top of the key to keep the defenders on the weak side
occupied.
This pinch post variation allows the players to set back up to the initial formation and run the
offense again.
This can be a good option for teams who dont play in a league with a shot clock and theres a
less-skilled player in the opposite position.
4 steps out and receives the pass from the top of the key.
3 immediately cuts to the ball-side corner and 1 will fill the position at the top of the key after cutting
off 1s down screen.
5 slides across the key and establishes position in the low post while 2 fills opposite.
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Option #4 Post Pop On-Ball Screen
If you have a player in the opposite position with the ability to dribble the basketball and create for
others, the post pop on-ball screen can be a very effective variation.
This involves 4 stepping out and receiving the pass from 3 at the top of the key.
Instead of cutting through to the ball-side corner, 3 immediately sets an on-ball screen for 4 to
attack the rim.
1 will cut to the top of the key off the down screen from 2 which provides a passing option as well
as a bounce pass to 5 if their defender steps across to help on the drive.
This signals for 4 to set a screen at the top for 1 who will be
curling around the top of the key off 2s down screen.
If 1 receives the pass and the shot isnt open, they will dribble to the wing and push 3 down to the
corner position while they fill the trigger spot.
5 slides across and establishes low post position, 4 steps out and fills the top of the key, and 2
moves to the weak side mid-post area so that the team is back in position to start the offense
again.
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Conclusion
There is a mindset among the basketball community that the triangle offense is too complicated for
any non-professional team to run.
I disagree with this and hope that this article shows you that while it can be complicated with many
actions and counters, it can also be executed simply and effectively with fewer offensive options.
If you think your team has what it takes and youre willing to commit long-term to teaching it and
practicing with your players, I highly recommend implementing the triangle offense.
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