The new Triangle Offense isn’t just taking JR Smith and his New York Knicks teammates a long time to master; it’s also proving to be a source of frustration.
Smith is having a hard time adjusting to not having the green light to fire away at all times, but head coach Derek Fisher continues to ask him to be patient and trust in the system.
Per Newsday:
“For J.R., like many players, this is difficult to do,” Fisher said after the team’s practice Thursday. “Last night, we talked about how we’re not just installing new software to the computer. We’re building a whole new computer from scratch, and that’s not easy to do.”
After scoring only five points in 23 minutes in a preseason win over Washington on Wednesday night, Smith said it had been difficult to rein in his shoot-first mentality and adjust to the team-first principles of the triangle. […] “Being the type of player I’ve been, it’s a struggle,” Smith said. “I’m not going to lie.”
Smith, who is averaging 8.5 points and shooting 39 percent in six preseason games, said that when he talked to Fisher about his struggles, the coach showed him his championship rings (he has five). […] “He just told me — look at the rings they have,” Smith said. “It’s worked. I want one so bad, I’ll do whatever it takes. If it takes me sacrificing my scoring, that’s what it takes.”
