New York: The New York Knicks clinched their first post-season berth in seven years after a 123-107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.

Amar'e 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.

Dark horse

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 told reporters. "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.

Lakers falter

Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets clinched a play-off berth with a 95-90 victory over the defending 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.

Heat take Southeast

In another game, the Miami Heat clinched the Southeast Division title with a 108-94 win over the New Jersey Nets behind 31 points and 11 rebounds from LeBron James.

"We don't want to be jaded," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

"That's the first step. It's not our ultimate goal. We want to gobble up as many of those things as possible."

Heat's Dwyane Wade added 18 points and Chris Bosh had 16 as the Heat won their third straight and eighth in nine games.

The victory moved Miami (54-23) within 2 1/2 games of the Chicago Bulls in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Chicago has six games remaining and Miami five.

Deron Williams finished with 18 points and 12 assists to lead the Nets, who have dropped six consecutive and 10 of 11.

Travis Outlaw added 17 points and nine rebounds, while Brook Lopez scored 16 points.

RESULTS

S.ANTONIO 114 Phoenix 97

Denver 95 LA LAKERS 90

BOSTON 101 Detroit 90

Miami 108 N.JERSEY 94

NY KNICKS 123 Cleveland 107

SAC'MENTO 106 Utah 97

TORONTO 102 Orlando 98

Washington 97 CHARL'TE 91

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