Knicks seal play-off spot

Amare Stoudemire scored 28 points, Carmelo Anthony added 25 and the Knicks treated their fans to a return trip to the play-offs, their first since the 2003/04 season.

The team's third win in a row, coupled with Charlotte's loss to the Washington Wizards, secured the post-season berth.

New York, seventh in the Eastern Conference, could be a dark horse in the play-offs after landing Stoudemire as a free agent during the summer then trading for Anthony and Chauncey Billups in a blockbuster February deal.

"I was strong enough to come here when the situation wasn't looking so great," Stoudemire said. "I took it as a challenge upon myself and as a team to speak so boldly at the start of the year (that) the Knicks are back.

"We are now in a position to be in the play-offs, which was the goal."

New York (38-38) stormed to an 11-point lead after the first quarter, behind 17 points from Billups, and never again trailed as they defeated Cleveland for the first time this season and snapped a string of 11 consecutive losses to the Cavaliers.

Billups finished with 23 points.

Cleveland pulled to 93-90 early in the fourth but the Knicks scored 12 points without reply to put the game away.

J.J. Hickson scored a team-high 23 points and Baron Davis had 22 for the NBA-worst Cavaliers (15-61), who have lost three in a row.

The Nuggets also clinched a play-off berth with a 95-90 victory over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

The result means the Nuggets will play in their eighth consecutive postseason despite trading franchise player Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks in February.

A revamped Denver team has won six consecutive games, thriving with teamwork and added depth.

The Nuggets (47-29) are currently fifth in the Western Conference, three games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, with six regular season games remaining.