Derrick Rose still a square when it comes to Knicks' triangle
Derrick Rose’s triangle immersion is going to require some time.
The point guard said Thursday he had no previous knowledge of Phil Jackson’s offense except for the little experience playing the Lakers. And when the Knicks began their in-depth triangle teaching at the second session of Wednesday’s training camp, Rose discovered, “there’s like 40 to 50 options on one side of the floor.
“It’s complicated a little bit right now because it’s new to us. It’s foreign,” Rose said. “But I think the more we work on it and the way the coaches are putting it into the offense, it’s a little bit easier.”
Rose said he has not yet had a conversation with Jackson about the triangle and, “I don’t want to bug him about it.” With Jeff Hornacek taking control, Jackson’s input during training camp has been limited while his offense is installed.
“(He spoke to us) a few times. He got mad at us one time because we were running the offense and we didn’t throw the ball into the post,” Rose said. “He came over, kind of grumpy a little bit. That was my first time ever seeing him like that.”
Rose, who grew up in Chicago and views Jackson as “a legend,” said tips on the triangle from his agent BJ Armstrong could only be so helpful.
“Me and BJ are two different players. He was a shooter. Like I’ll knock down shots but my game is playmaking and I just hoop,” Rose said. “Like I’ll find a way to get it done. So BJ’s job was just to give Mike (Jordan) the ball and get out the way. I didn’t want to say it like that but that was his job. He tells me about (the triangle). He told me they had the personnel for it back when they played and I feel like we have the same personnel.”
Rose acknowledged he is more comfortable in the pick-and-roll — which typically is not an initiator in the triangle — and believes the offense will adjust.
“I think at the end of the game or a game-winning shot or something like that I don’t think it’s going to be the triangle,” he said. “I think it’s probably going to be 1-3 pick and roll or 3-1 pick and roll. Either me or Melo will have to create for someone to take the shot.”
The Knicks worked on their pick-and-roll offense earlier in training camp.
“We’ve been running a lot of pick and roll. I feel that’s my game, pick and roll,” Rose said. “Having two people on me, it creates and opens up space for everyone.”
Unrelated to the triangle, Rose ended Thursday’s first practice frustrated to the point of kicking the cover off a cooler. He had just been stripped of the ball by teammate Chasson Randle in a scrimmage, leading to a game-winning shot from the reserves.
“If it was a real game I probably would have f—kin’ flipped out,” Rose said. “I just hate turning the ball over and we have a possession to win. I like to talk s–t. I turned it over. I just got to learn from my mistakes.”
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Derrick Rose still a square when it comes to Knicks" triangle
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