The Bulls spent too much time going in circles with their signature triangle offense last season. Finishing at or near the bottom of virtually every offensive category in 1999-2000, the Bulls nearly turned coach Tim Floyd into a basket case.
“It’s obvious the triangle is not Tim’s system,” said veteran center Will Perdue, whom the Bulls released Tuesday. “The last two years, we haven’t had much success with it. When [former Bulls assistant] Jim Wooldridge left to become the head coach at Kansas State . . . basically he was your offensive coordinator for the Bulls, having learned the triangle along the way. Now, all of a sudden, he is out of the equation.”
Phil Jackson and Tex Winter popularized the methodical half-court offense with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen serving as point men in the attack. Jackson and Winter again deployed the system successfully with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal demonstrating its merits for the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The Bulls vainly tried to execute the system last year. They often passed the ball around as if it were a live grenade, knowing the last man holding it when the shot clock ran down either would have to heave up a prayer or expect a shot-clock violation to blow up in his face. If there is a category for most shot-clock violations and shots taken at the end of the 24-second clock, the Bulls surely established a record last season as they finished 17-65.
“You have to have somebody to put the ball in the basket,” Perdue said. “We would get the ball into Elton [Brand], but you need somebody to break people down in the back court. We had it with Michael Jordan. Then with the Lakers, when it came down to it in the triangle offense, the ball went to Kobe.”
Jordan admits he has enough problems getting his Washington Wizards on track offensively, but he recently said the Bulls–as they currently are constructed–have no business trying to use the triangle offense.
“That’s an offense for a team that has been together as a unit for a while,” Jordan said. “You have to be able to sense where all five guys are at all times. I don’t think Tim Floyd wants to run the triangle.”
Floyd says he is amenable to change based on the players the Bulls acquire through the draft and free agency.
Pass the word: Hugh Hefner was host for a party for the NBA champion Lakers Wednesday night at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. In addition to the players, coaches and wives, actor and superfan Jack Nicholson received an invitation. . . . Rob Goldman will be host for an NBA draft preview at 9 p.m. Monday on CLTV. . . . The American Cancer Society will sponsor “Chip In For A Cure” at Royal Melbourne golf course in Long Grove on July 17. Tom Dore of Fox Sports Net will be the host. For more information contact Tim Schulz at 847-358-3965. . . . The 12th annual Shoot-the-Bull 3 on 3 basketball tournament on Aug. 5-6 will be open for participants 12 and over. More than 10,000 players (2,500 teams) and 75,000 spectators are expected to participate in the weekend event in Grant Park. Entries must be received by July 21. Players can register on-line at www.bulls.com or call 312-455-4000. . . . Basketball player James Ford of Elmhurst College has received a Chicago White Sox Minority Scholarship to graduate school after owner Jerry Reinsdorf urged him to apply.
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Send e-mail to Fred Mitchell at kick3485@aol.com
