Phil Jackson admits three-point shot has changed spacing of triangle offense

The days of the equilateral are gone. Maybe now things need to be obtuse.

Phil Jackson is understandably still a believer in the triangle offense — it did win him 11 rings as a coach. However, there have been a lot of questions about how Tex Winter’s offense (particularly as Phil Jackson likes to run it) would fit in a modern NBA, with three point shooters spacing the floor. Tuesday night in New York at an “American Express Teamed Up” with Shaquille O’Neal, Jackson admitted things needed to change (via Ian Begley of ESPN).

“The 3-point line has become our affection, because it means more when we make a 3-point shot. So the spacing has changed dramatically. So the triangle can still be a part of that, but it has to adapt.”

Jackson didn’t get into how, specificially, things need to change. Nor did he discuss how Jeff Hornacek plans to fit triangle principles into his up-tempo offense for the Knicks next season.

But Jackson not being dogmatic about the triangle is a good thing, especially in New York.