NEW YORK -- Carmelo Anthony usually takes a month off to rest and recharge after the NBA season.

This year was a little different.

Anthony started working out two weeks after the end of the Knicks' 37-win season.

Why such a short break?

"I was angry," Anthony said Saturday at the Citi Carmelo Anthony Basketball camp in Manhattan.

Anthony also probably wanted to be in top shape for free agency. He tested the market over the summer and ended up signing a five-year, $124 million deal with the Knicks.

The star forward has been working out at the team's facility in Westchester recently, along with "six or seven" other Knicks, to get a head start on the new triangle offense.

"I haven't been broadcasting it, man. But I've been at the facility for the last couple of weeks with the young guys, with the coaches, trying to figure out that triangle offense," Anthony said.

The Knicks and new head coach Derek Fisher are expected to install the triangle offense this season.

Anthony says that he "can't wait" to learn the offense that helped Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant win championships under Phil Jackson-coached teams.

"Without a doubt, without a doubt. When people say spots, I'm going to be all over the floor in the triangle," Anthony said. "It makes it hard to guard, it keeps all eyes off of you. I'm looking forward to it, I've been saying it all summer. I can't wait."

#7 SF

New York Knicks

2014 STATS

GM 77

PPG27.4

RPG8.1

APG3.1

FG%.452

FT% .848

Anthony has said that he expects the Knicks to make the playoffs but doesn't see them winning a title this summer.

On Saturday, he noted that the Eastern Conference is vastly different because of free-agent movement and Paul George's injury.

"Every year is different. Last year I don't think nobody thought Toronto would do what they [did]. I don't think nobody thought the Wizards was going to do what they did last year. So every year is always different," Anthony said. "Of course Cleveland is the top right now. Chicago will always be there. But as far as basketball goes, I'm excited to get back and play on the court because I know what we have with the New York Knicks, and we're only going to get better. So I'm excited about that."

Carmelo on LeBron's move to Cleveland: Anthony supports his buddy LeBron James' move to the Cavs.

"I applaud him. I applaud him. I thought it was a great move for him," Anthony said. "That's not to take nothing away from what he's already established and created down in Miami, but for him to go back home at this point in his career, you can't ask for nothing better than that."

Anthony didn't want to talk much about the team James formed in Cleveland with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. The Knicks play the Cavs in Cleveland on the second game of the season -- James' first game back in his hometown.

"We'll see them when we play them," Anthony said. "They're not on my radar right now. Don't take that the wrong way. But they're not on my radar. I'm focusing on one game at a time. When we play them the second game of the season, we'll be ready."

Carmelo on his weight loss: Anthony also talked in detail about his much-discussed weight loss over the summer.

"I think people kind of overreacted to that. I love to work. I love to train. It’s the accumulation of a lot," Anthony said.

He added: "Kind of switching up my eating habits, kind of taking on new workout routines, training a little different, trying to test myself and challenge myself differently from a training aspect. Also, I took maybe a week, two weeks off this year, so I was still in the mode from last training camp. I took maybe two weeks off over the year, and this is the result you’re seeing now."

Anthony supports the idea of a longer, week-long break for the All-Star Game this season. The game will be played in New York. "I love it, I'm a big fan of that. I wish it was two weeks," he said. Anthony isn't bothered by the idea of playing an extra back-to-back to extend the break. "We play too many games as it is. So another back-to-back is not gonna hurt," he said.

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