PHILADELPHIA — Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis called out Derek Fisher for not stressing the triangle offense enough during training camp, feeling it set the team back.
Indeed, Fisher seemed more immersed in his Matt Barnes love triangle than in Phil Jackson’s controversial system. Rambis was responding to comments Fisher made Wednesday on NBA TV in which he said it’s more “challenging” and “difficult’’ to run the triangle in the new NBA because there’s much less practice time.
Rambis, an assistant under Fisher, disputed the notion. He said Fisher tried to deviate too much during camp, teaching a one-guard front instead of the traditional two-guard front for which the triangle is known. It was the most critical Rambis has been of Fisher since he took over on Feb. 8.
Earlier this week, Rambis made a reference to training camp not being as productive because “we were in and out of things.’’
Before the Knicks’ 109-102 victory over the league-worst 76ers on Friday night at Wells Fargo Center — a game in which Carmelo Anthony sat out the fourth quarter after scoring 20 points — Rambis said: “If you want to learn something and truly learn something, you have to immerse yourself in it. We didn’t fully immerse ourselves into practicing it, developing it, learning how to work with it, going through the breakdown drills to execute it properly. We skirted over things.
“The real learning process of it didn’t have enough time to take place. We also didn’t allow the players the kind of time it needs in terms of putting in the time to get comfortable with it. Then you get into the season, when we weren’t scrimmaging a lot, practicing a lot. You need those days and times.”
Rambis has slowed down the offense since taking over and has given Jackson a lot more input – the overriding reason he is being heavily considered to return.
On Wednesday, Fisher said, “That extra time isn’t there like it used to be. It’s difficult to implement a system that requires so much terminology-wise, specific skill-set-wise, and it’s not impossible to do it. But I think it makes it more challenging for a team to develop during the course of the season compared to other teams who aren’t asking that of their players.”
On Friday, before the Knicks face the Sixers, Rambis said Fisher is off base.
“First off, it’s not difficult,’’ Rambis said. “Like learning anything new, you have to open your mind and be receptive. That’s a huge part of it. Phil and Tex [Winter] always felt it takes players, regardless of who they are, a good year of when you’re staying in it and executing to get to a point to really understanding the nuances of it when you stop thinking about it. I wouldn’t say it’s difficult.’’
Regarding Fisher’s training-camp changes, Rambis said, “We looked to do things out of a one-guard front as well as a two-guard front. We kept wavering back and forth.”
Rambis said he didn’t fight it.
“A coach has to do what he feels was right for the team,’’ said Rambis, who has not spoken to Fisher since taking over.