LeBron James' Miami Heat Could Learn From Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls

Once upon a time there was a guy named Michael Jordan.  He was in his prime and putting up historic numbers.  Triple doubles were flying left and right with 30-, 40- and 50-point games falling all around. 

There was an MVP trophy, a Defensive Player of the Year award, a handful of scoring titles, and the greatest PER ever posted.  But still no championship trophy.  No ring on the finger. Not even an Eastern Conference championship as a consolation prize.

Michael Jordan was doing more on his own than any other player in the modern era has.  It was only when Phil Jackson came along and took the ball out of his hands that he started winning championships.

Fast forward 20-some years.  LeBron James has a career stat line of 28 pts/game, 7 rebounds, 7 assists.  He almost recorded his second triple double of the short season with 35 pts, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists.   

He's been the MVP.  He's won the scoring title.  He's even got that Eastern Conference championship as a consolation prize.  But to this point, he too has no championship trophy. 

If history has shown us anything, it's that TEAMS win championships.  No matter how good you are, even if you're the best player in the history of the game, you can't do it yourself. 

LeBron James knows this.  That's exactly why he came to the Heat...to play with Wade and Bosh.  And yet, he continues to play as if he's still with the Cavs, dominating the ball, essentially doing it all himself. 

Now please don't misconstrue what I'm saying.  LeBron is a very unselfish player, but even in his attempts to be unselfish he sometimes hurts the team.  Especially with talents like Wade and Bosh on the floor. 

Basketball is about ball movement.  Seems simple, but there are really only a few teams that know how to do it.  When one person is doing it all, no matter what their numbers, it's not good for the team.   

LeBron may be the best passer, but that doesn't mean the ball should be in his hands every second of every play.  Likewise for Dwayne Wade, who's no slouch on playmaking himself. 

But it seems to me that this Miami Heat team is playing more like three superstars, rather than a superstar team.

When Phil Jackson installed the Triangle, he eliminated Michael Jordan's greatest weakness...one on one play.  Now before you go sending me comments about the blasphemy just written, let me explain. 

I don't mean to say Michael Jordan wasn't a good one on one player.  That's ridiculous.  What I mean by that is teams were able to load up on him when he had the ball.  They knew the play would start, and probably end with him. 

Therefore, it became five on one essentially.  But with the triangle offense, it forces you to play team basketball and cuts down on one on one. 

It instills ball movement, cuts, back doors, movement without the ball and creates fundamental basketball based on reads. 

With this offense, the defense could no longer load up on MJ, instead having to account for all five players.  The only thing that followed was six championships in eight years. 

This is not to say that any team with the triangle will win a championship.  I need only mention the Minnesota Timberwolves to show that not every team is cut out for it. 

It's an offense that does take high basketball IQs and talent; something Lebron James and the Miami Heat have an abundant amount of. 

Installing the triangle would eliminate James' domination of the ball and take advantage of all five players abilities, including Wade and Bosh simultaneously. 

LeBron would now be moving with AND without the ball, as well as Wade, with neither standing around on the weak side uselessly.  Everyone admits that this team has almost limitless potential if they can just figure out how to play together. 

So far, that hasn't happened.  But with an offense like the triangle, it could.  Just ask Michael Jordan.

Now if only they could get the right coach to teach it.  When's Phil Jackson available?  Next year?  Hmmm...