How A Polygon Help Shaped One of the NBA’s Most Incredible Dynasties

When head coach Phil Jackson took over head coaching duties in 1989, he came up with an offense that not only benefited the Bulls, but helped humble the greatest basketball player of all time. It was the start of a dynasty that impacted the NBA for a lifetime. (Credit: USA Today)

I am sure many of us in this life have been told by our peers that we will never get to something we really want unless we ourselves make a change. Okay, maybe that might not be bad advice. I have heard this before from so many people giving me hard feedback whether it be at work, writing, or even just living my daily life. Neighbors, family, friends, and co-workers all wanted what was best for me. So I guess maybe that isn’t bad advice. I mean, after all, the greatest basketball player in the world had to endure this.

“Michael Jordan will never win a championship when he leads the league in scoring”. Does that sound familiar? How about this one? “Michael and his Jordanaires”. I am sure it had to drive Jordan crazy after hearing these things over and over. And so far, it was true. From 1984 to 1988, Jordan and the Bulls could not get over the hump to reach the NBA championship. But by 1989, everything changed when a man by the name of Phil Jackson took over play calling duties from ex coach Doug Collins. When he took over the team, it was not a popular decision. After all, he led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals and expanded Jordan’s game. But with the team still struggling, Jackson told Michael that he needed to share the ball and use other players to help him out when scoring did get difficult. With forwards Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant on the team by 1987, the Bulls started to have pieces to move far in the playoffs. He came up with the triangle.

Originally invented by University of South Carolina head coach Sam Barry and Tex Winter, this creative offense was great for the whole team. According to Yahoo Sports, this was a deliberate, structured way of reading the floor, one that demanded movement without the basketball and wise spacing. Time management was also just as important as the play itself. It would help give other players great opportunities to punish the opposition up high near the three point line or in the paint. It is called the triangle because it creates a sideline triangle between the post, wing, and corner and like I had mentioned before, it can create opportunities literally anywhere. Defenses would have a hard time because of the constant ball movement and players diving for open opportunities.

I am not a basketball coach, but I had enough time to figure out what the Triangle offense was. It took a while, but this strategy was to help create opportunities for other players. Time management, spacing, and movement without the basketball were key factors on what made this offense so deadly and explosive during its time. This replica is what the Triangle would look like in the game. (Credit: Michael Joyner)

When the Chicago Bulls first implemented the triangle, the team went 55–27 which was second in the Central Division and had an offensive rating of 112.3, which was fifth in the NBA. That was also the season where they would average 109.5 points per game which was ranked ninth in the Association. Jordan himself proved the doubters wrong when he led the NBA in scoring 7 out of 8 seasons while playing under the triangle offense according to Google AI. He would win the MVP four times, secured six championships and led the Bulls to a 72–10 season that saw them win the title. But he was not the only Bull that benefited from the offense.

Scottie Pippen was a key contributor to the offense and earned multiple accomplishments. He won six titles with Jordan and was on the All-NBA Defensive team selection and All-NBA Third Team Selection. The triangle gave other players like Steve Kerr, John Paxon, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, Stacey King, and many others the green light to have chances to get involved. The Bulls were one of the highest scoring teams and while they were great on offense, the triangle also helped them become one of the dominant defenses as well.

It was fair to say that the Bulls were in great shape once they used this offense, but like many of these new phenomenons, they wear out and other teams like the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and many others duplicated or tried to modernize it for their benefit, but it was because of a new head coach and a polygon offense impacted a dying franchise that rose back from the ashes.