I think the Knicks are overthinking this. It shouldn’t take months to learn the basics of the Triangle offense. They aren’t learning to be brain surgeons. I know it is more complicated than “hey let me take a contested three every time down” offense JR Smith is use to, but if you really put the time in, you will know what to do fairly quickly.
It is like the Knicks and in this case JR Smith are giving themselves a ready made excuse. Here is what JR had to say via Dime Magazine.
“It’s going to take a few months. Over the course of the year understanding where everybody is going to be,” Smith told the Post about getting comfortable in new offensive system. “It’s going to take a while.”
“We went out there and started thinking too much instead of just playing,” said Smith. “We have to trust our instincts a little more and just play. We all know how to get into our offense and just play the right way. It’s just a matter of … if they take something away, don’t get too anxious or too nervous and turn the ball over.
“And don’t let our offense dictate our defense. We got turnovers, put our head down and they kept running the ball down our backs.”
The question begs if the losses mount up, while players start reverting back to what they know best which is freelancing and gunning.
If I had to wager, I say that’s what is going to happen.