Michael Jordan Never Got Fully Used To Playing In Phil Jackson’s Triangle Offense Despite Winning 6 Rings In It: ‘It’s A Difficult System’

NBA legend Michael Jordan never got fully used to playing in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense despite winning six rings in it. 

Jackson installed the triangle offense after taking over for Doug Collins in 1989 as the head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

The triangle offense was set so that there was a key pass that created motion and then there were 33 different types of options that came out of that single pass.

“I’m still not used to that [laughs],” Jordan told SLAM in 1997. “That’s how difficult it is. It’s a difficult system.”

According to Jackson, players could do spontaneous and creative things using their strengths in the triangle offense, but Jordan didn’t like the system that much. 

“Everybody has an opportunity to touch the ball, but I didn’t want Bill Cartwright to have the ball with five seconds left,” Jordan said in The Last Dance doc. “That’s not equal-opportunity offense. That’s f****** bulls***.”

Jackson met with Jordan explaining why he felt the triangle offense would help the Bulls win championships.

While Chicago didn’t win a title in Jackson’s first season at the helm, the team took off in Year 2.

The Bulls became a dynasty after Jackson took over for Collins. They won titles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998 and set a then-NBA record for wins with 72 in 1995-96.

Jordan averaged 30.8 points while shooting 50.1% from the field in 585 regular-season games under Jackson. Even though he first questioned if Jackson was the right coach for him, the results showed that Jackson was exactly what Jordan needed.

Jordan won 10 scoring titles with the Bulls, with seven coming in the triangle offense.

Jordan and Jackson’s final season together was in 1997-98. The late Jerry Krause told NBA reporters that Jackson wouldn’t return in 1998-99, so Jordan knew 1997-98 was his final run with the Bulls and he made sure it was legendary.

Not only did the Bulls win the 1998 championship over the Utah Jazz, but Jordan also won his 10th scoring title, fifth regular-season MVP and sixth Finals MVP.

Jackson did a fantastic job keeping the Bulls collected early in the season when Scottie Pippen was out and Dennis Rodman took a mini-vacation to Las Vegas.

“The Last Dance” camera crew followed the Bulls in 1997-98. Despite all the players and coaches knowing that their run would end after the season because of Krause, they never lost focus and made it a point to end the dynasty on top.

Jackson compiled a remarkable record of 545-193 with the Bulls. Surprisingly, he only won one Coach of the Year Award. That was in 1995-96 when the Bulls went 72-10.

Jackson made the Hall of Fame as a coach in 2007. He won 1,155 regular-season games and 11 rings with the Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

Meanwhile, Jordan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. MJ is first in NBA history in points per game, fourth in steals, fifth in field goals and second in player efficiency rating.

Jordan played for the Bulls (twice) and Washington Wizards. He finished his NBA career with averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks in 1,072 games.

Jordan won five MVPs, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, six championships, six Finals MVPs, three steals and 10 scoring titles with the Bulls.