It's certainly a bit of an exaggeration and oversimplification, but some NBA scouts joke that there are two types of offensive systems in the league: the triangle offense, and what everyone else runs. For combo guard Langston Galloway, a member of the New York Knicks in his first two pro years, that may mean a bigger adjustment compared to what other NBA players who changed teams this summer are experiencing.
“It's definitely different, just learning how to play with the ball in my hands a lot more now,” Galloway said. “In the triangle, it's more cutting, passing and moving. But in this offense, Coach wants me to have the ball in my hands a lot more when I'm playing (point guard), and he wants to make sure the ball is popping (through ball movement) and make sure it's not sticking.”
One semi-common trait of the triangle offense is that it does not tend to result in high-assist tallies for guards, making it a near polar opposite of the system run by Alvin Gentry. For example, in the final month of last season, Pelicans point guard Tim Frazier was signed out of the D-League and immediately averaged 7.5 assists, with a career high of 15 dimes in the finale at Minnesota. While playing in the Phil Jackson-favored triangle, Galloway averaged 3.7 assists both seasons in New York. To further demonstrate the difference, Galloway's top assist game last season (7 in an April win vs. Brooklyn) was lower than what Frazier averaged as a member of the Pelicans.
“It's been a learning curve,” Galloway said Tuesday, on Day 4 of New Orleans training camp. “At first I didn't think I would need the ball to be in my hands as much as I do, needing to facilitate. Now I'm learning. Coach Gentry is staying on me, telling me 'When you have the ball in your hands, you make great decisions.' I keep the ball in my hands as much as possible and try to find my open teammates.”
The Baton Rouge native logged about two-thirds of his minutes as a rookie at point guard, but in Year 2 with New York that jumped to 100 percent (per Basketball-Reference.com). With starting point guard Jrue Holiday not with the team for an indefinite period and several new faces in the backcourt, it's possible the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder could return to shifting between positions. Either way, it's likely his play-making ability will be something that becomes more evident with the Pelicans than it was in Gotham.
“It's been great,” Galloway said after Tuesday morning's practice. “It definitely suits my game, being able to facilitate for my teammates, and when I have opportunities to create and find my shot, I try to do that.”
Other notes from practice in Metairie:
Anthony Davis did not participate in scrimmaging today, part of the Pelicans' plan to monitor him prior to the regular season opener Oct. 26. Gentry: “Everything we do with him is predicated on him being ready to go 1,000 percent on opening night.” …
Gentry on Wednesday night's open practice at the Smoothie King Center, which is free and open to the public: “It gives the guys an opportunity to do something with fans in the stands, an opportunity to just play in pretty much what's going to be a regulation game. To me, it's kind of a break in the monotony of what goes on in training camp.”
