Kevin Love Is the Key To Kurt Rambis' Triangle Offense

The vaunted triangle offense that Timberwolves head coach Kurt Rambis has installed at Target Center is entirely dependent on having speed on the floor and the ability to move the ball quickly.

While on offense, the team must be filled with shooting threats around the arc and have a low-post presence.  All players must be able to move the ball and rotate to fill holes.  The fast break becomes an even more critical part of the overall strategy, with Rambis putting great emphasis on being able to run opponents to death, getting quick points on the fly.  In fact, having a player on the floor who can consistently make good outlet passes would be ideal.

Sound familiar?

It should.  The power forward role in the triangle offense is perfectly suited to Kevin Love’s skill set.  The UCLA product arrived in Minnesota in a draft night trade with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008 that sent shooting guard OJ Mayo the opposite direction.  Love’s skill set intrigued then-GM Kevin McHale, who, ironically, was Love’s idol growing up.

Love’s skills do fit perfectly with the Timberwolves.  Having missed part of his sophomore year due to a hand injury, Love’s first year under Rambis’ system began late.  The triangle offense is notorious for being a system that takes time to master—in part due to wing players having to learn somewhat unconventional roles on the floor—but Love still managed to average a double-double on the season.  He put up an even 14 points a night and 11 rebounds while coming off the bench, behind Al Jefferson.

This offseason saw Jefferson traded to the Utah Jazz, signaling that Love will get the starting minutes that he has desired for about a year now.  Love was open last season about not wanting to come off the bench, but did his duty as a part of the team and took his minutes where he could find them.

The differences between Jefferson and Love aren’t vast, but differ in a few key areas.  First, Love is a much stronger rebounder than Jefferson was.  Love’s penchant for crashing the boards gave rise to a rookie of the year award campaign involving Love selling “magic glass cleaner.”  In fact, he averaged nine rebounds in his rookie season, earning praise for being one of the best rebounders in the league.

Love’s other special skill that fits well with the triangle offense is his ability to make an outlet pass.  Love has the ability to pass the ball the entire length of the court, a skill that has been documented on YouTube several times.  Placing him at the starting power forward spot is ideal for both his game and the Timberwolves’ needs.

With the Wolves’ desire to have a very up-tempo offense, Love becomes a great facilitator of the fast break.  An outlet pass from the baseline to a streaking Wesley Johnson, Corey Brewer, Martell Webster, Lazar Hayward, or Wayne Ellington is something that Kurt Rambis will enjoy having at his disposal.  It keeps defenses honest and tends to spread a defense out.  It’s difficult to defend against a pass that could come from anywhere on the court, not just one of the guards.

Love will also look to boost his production in the upcoming season. Having to overcome the hand injury that limited his season to 60 games in 2009-10, Love will look to put up between 16-20 points a night to go with probably 12 or so rebounds.  Although these are just theoretical expectations, it is a logical progression for Love entering his junior year with the Wolves.

Even better, Love’s shooting should continue to improve.  Love’s three point range will likely increase this coming season, making him yet another threat from the wing in Rambis’ triangle.

Love’s impact on the team has been observed by several high-profile NBA minds.  Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan raved after a game last season, saying that Love “just plays and never gets off the floor.”

It is Love’s tenacity and creativity in getting the job done that makes him such a good fit for the system that the Wolves have begun to use.  Love will do anything on the court, and that versatility makes him every coach’s dream and every opponent’s concern.

Although slightly undersized at the power forward spot, he has shown proficiency in setting a pick for his guards.  He has learned to use the bulk he has very well, shown when he crashes the offensive glass.  Love’s ability to plant himself low is the result of his ability to read angles on the floor and use his 260 lbs. to simply remain in position.

Love has also earned the valuable skill of being able to jockey for position down low.  Again, although he doesn’t have the height of some other power forwards, his positioning combined with his ability to make himself immovable makes him a threat on many areas of the court.

In short, Kevin Love is exactly the kind of power forward that can excel in the triangle offense.  Now having the power forward spot as his own, look for Love to put up larger numbers in 2010-11 than in his first two seasons in the NBA and to put that much-talked-about outlet pass on display.