Phil Jackson: 'No structure, discipline' with NBA offenses

[BNB]

New York Knicks president Phil Jackson isn't a fan of the way the game is being played these days, and he used the NBA's biggest star -- LeBron James -- as an example of exactly what's wrong.

Jackson, in an interview with Bleacher Report from May that was published Monday, said the current "individualized" style of the NBA isn't disciplined and -- even more so -- just isn't pleasing to the eye.

"When I watch some of these playoff games, and I look at what's being run out there, as what people call an offense, it's really quite remarkable to see how far our game has fallen from a team game," Jackson told Bleacher Report. "Four guys stand around watching one guy dribble a basketball.

"I watch LeBron James, for example. He might [travel] every other time he catches the basketball if he's off the ball. He catches the ball, moves both his feet. You see it happen all the time. There's no structure, there's no discipline, there's no 'How do we play this game' type of attitude. And it goes all the way through the game. To the point where now guys don't screen -- they push guys off with their hands."

Jackson, who has 13 NBA titles to his credit -- 11 as a coach with the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers and two as a player with the Knicks -- was just using James as an example. He said the problem is widespread as teams shun structured offenses in favor of constant pick-and-roll plays.

"The game actually has some beauty to it, and we've kind of taken some of that out of it to make it individualized," Jackson told Bleacher Report. "It's a lot of who we are as a country, individualized stuff.

"... It struck me: How can we get so far away from the real truth of what we're trying to do?"

Agree, disagree?

 

[Scoot26]

I only saw a few teams in these playoffs run offenses like that... One was Houston with Harden, one was Cleveland with LeBron once Irving died.


And well there's the Bulls were 5 stood around not playing any offense.

 

[clonetrooper264]

2010 Bulls was basically the Derrick Rose iso show. Iso ball is all the rage in AAU and whatnot so it's not surprising that the same mentality made its way to the NBA. Spurs basketball is more a rarity it feels like.

 

[Scoot26]

2010 Bulls was basically the Derrick Rose iso show. Iso ball is all the rage in AAU and whatnot so it's not surprising that the same mentality made its way to the NBA. Spurs basketball is more a rarity it feels like.

But the last two champs have played the same type of offense. And the Spurs almost won two in a row that way (and I could argue Miami moved the ball more as a team that just ISO). Dallas was much the same in 2011 too.

So I would say the well-rounded teams that share the ball offensively will win the titles, while ISO may get you to the Finals (especially in the East) but you're not going to win unless you match that style in some sense.

 

[clonetrooper264]

But the last two champs have played the same type of offense. And the Spurs almost won two in a row that way (and I could argue Miami moved the ball more as a team that just ISO). Dallas was much the same in 2011 too.

So I would say the well-rounded teams that share the ball offensively will win the titles, while ISO may get you to the Finals (especially in the East) but you're not going to win unless you match that style in some sense.

That's the way it should be imo. It makes sense from a player's perspective too. You know you will get the ball in a situation other than a kick out because your iso player was triple teamed. You generate better looks offensively. Makes a lot of sense as to why that is what gets the wins while teams like the Iverson 76ers end up falling flat.

 

[FirstTimer]

Jackson is an idiot. Yes, the Cavs played a ton of ISO...because they had to. Look at that team at full strength and Jackson has no argument.

Jackson recently has turned into this:

 

[clonetrooper264]

Jackson is an idiot. Yes, the Cavs played a ton of ISO...because they had to. Look at that team at full strength and Jackson has no argument.

Jackson recently has turned into this:

Definitely true. Better team = better ball movement.

 

[Raskolnikov]

I agree with sentiments above that the Bulls had the most clueless offense I have seen in the NBA in a long time this year. They scored ok because Gasol, Rose, Butler and a long long bench that can shoot.

It will be nice to have a real offense.

I love Phil and see exactly what he is saying. He isn't wrong at all. Of course he isn't, its Phil. I love that he applied it to the general hollowing trend of our culture.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

Jackson is an idiot. Yes, the Cavs played a ton of ISO...because they had to. Look at that team at full strength and Jackson has no argument.

Jackson recently has turned into this:

No doubt about it. Jackson may be lamer as a front office executive than Michael Jordan himself... and that's saying a lot. Being a great coach/master motivator does not translate well to player/personnel decision-making.

Tex Winter was a huge part of most of Jackson's coaching success.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

I agree with sentiments above that the Bulls had the most clueless offense I have seen in the NBA in a long time this year. They scored ok because Gasol, Rose, Butler and a long long bench that can shoot.

It will be nice to have a real offense.

I love Phil and see exactly what he is saying. He isn't wrong at all. Of course he isn't, its Phil. I love that he applied it to the general hollowing trend of our culture.

The Bulls' offense was clueless but no more clueless than 2/3s of the NBA. They just couldn't get it to an elite level - even this year when they certainly had the talent to do so... and could still only finish near the top 10/30 in efficiency.

 

[Raskolnikov]

The Bulls' offense was clueless but no more clueless than 2/3s of the NBA. They just couldn't get it to an elite level - even this year when they certainly had the talent to do so... and could still only finish near the top 10/30 in efficiency.

Thibs offensive fix it comments were always "guys have to take and hit open shots." Everytime we struggled Thibs would say this. Everytime I overheard a huddle, Thibs would say this.

I literally got more coaching than that in community college where we ran the old Roy Williams run and gun Kansas offense. Come on man. Shoot open shots? Thats what Thibs has while his point guard runs around launching deep covered 3's, setting up Isolation ball for Butler, or telegraphing inside plays to Gasol.

I was sick to death of watching the level of offensive talent we had just left to their own devices without a direction. Thibs was half the solution, but now I fear we will see this team play good offense but not be a true contender for loss of defense.

 

[ChettheJet]

Phil might be right. A lot of what you see in the missing structure on offense can be traced to athleticism being what so many teams look for. There are too many players on the floor at the same time who can run the floor, jump 3 feet over the rim but if they don't have the ball in their hands or aren't going for a dunk don't have anything to contribute to the offense so they just stand around. Every GM drafts the great athlete who isn't interested in moving without the ball so he can either get an open shot or draw the defense to create space and an open shot for someone else. Or all some players want to do is wait for a missed shot and run out for a dunk or in the half court come out and run a screen roll.


That's why you need somebody like Mike Dunleavy even a Ronnie Brewer on the floor because they are willing to move without the ball and if they're open they're ready but they understand that their motion is forcing the defense to move and that disrupts the switches most teams want to make. The Spurs have won consistently because not just their core but the players they bring in like Marco Bellinelli, understand you have to be a part of the offense even if you're not taking the shot.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Even Tex Winter thinks Phil should move on from the triangle.

 

[knoxville7]

No doubt about it. Jackson may be lamer as a front office executive than Michael Jordan himself... and that's saying a lot. Being a great coach/master motivator does not translate well to player/personnel decision-making.

Tex Winter was a huge part of most of Jackson's coaching success.

hes been a front office exec for 1 year and his star player got hurt early on and youre already trashing him as an exec?? typical over reaction

 

[clonetrooper264]

hes been a front office exec for 1 year and his star player got hurt early on and youre already trashing him as an exec?? typical over reaction

I'll at least wait until after the draft before I start calling him a bad exec lol

 

[knoxville7]

I'll at least wait until after the draft before I start calling him a bad exec lol

hahaha now that's what I call patience

there isn't a man alive on earth that could of had the knicks as title contenders last year

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

hes been a front office exec for 1 year and his star player got hurt early on and youre already trashing him as an exec?? typical over reaction

That Derrick Fisher hire doe...

 

[clonetrooper264]

hahaha now that's what I call patience

there isn't a man alive on earth that could of had the knicks as title contenders last year

lol that don't mean he's not another Isaiah though

Obviously we'll need a few years to evaluate and see where he brings the team. Sam Hinkie in Philly has done a ridiculously good job of tanking and acquiring a boatload of 1sts.

 

[knoxville7]

lol that don't mean he's not another Isaiah though

Obviously we'll need a few years to evaluate and see where he brings the team. Sam Hinkie in Philly has done a ridiculously good job of tanking and acquiring a boatload of 1sts.

exactly, that's all I was trying to say is that its way to early to judge him as an exec

and the Derek fisher hire could end up being a solid choice eventually...every coach needs players to succeed and it was pretty obvious fisher didn't have much at all to work with, especially after melo went down

 

[Diddy1122]

While I agree with some of Phil's comments, I think he dead wrong about the direction of the league. The past 5 years the league has been moving more toward team play than away from it. Just look at the majority of teams that competed in the playoffs. Outside of the Heat, Rockets, Cavs & Pelicans this year, almost every team played a more team oriented style. The era of the ISO is all but dead and it's quite obvious. The Heat were an aberration because you 3 of the best players in the league all joining together in their primes. It's no shock that they won a couple titles that way, but they nearly only won a single title if not for a failed secured defensive rebound and a miracle 3 by the greatest 3 point shooter of all time.

Though, one thing I am getting tired of hearing now is how the 90's Warriors and 00's Suns were too ahead of their time for small ball. Ummm, NO, just NO. The reason the Warriors won with small ball is because they actually DEFENDED the ball. Not only that, they were one of the best in the league at doing it! This notion that the 00's Suns or 90's Warriors could win it all today still playing the style they played is ludicrous. Small ball will only work if you defend the other side of the ball. That's what Kerr proved this year.