Steve Blake and Matt Barnes are having better seasons for the Lakers than in 10-11 when they were trying to learn the triangle offense.

"The first year with the triangle is the hardest," Luke Walton said. "When you get it down pat you can have fun with it because of all the options. Steve's having a great year. Obviously this offense has more traditional pick-and-roll stuff, where the point guard initiates. In the triangle anybody can initiate it."

"I wouldn't say the triangle was difficult," Blake said. "It's just different. It's very easy for a point guard not to touch the ball for a while in the triangle. With this offense you have pick-and-rolls and regular sets and it's the way I've played my whole life.

"That was my mind-set coming into the year, just to play the way I've always played. Last year was hard, but you learn from times like that."

"Learning the triangle was tough," Barnes said. "And then learning the counters to the stars who were already in the triangle was tough. Steve and I were thinking too much last year when we came here. We were stepping into a back-to-back championship team and trying to do everything right instead of just playing basketball."