Stoudemire proclaimed the Knicks were back even before officially signing in July, and snapped out of a recent slump in time to ensure the return of playoff basketball to Madison Square Garden.
New York hasn’t seen the postseason since it was swept in four games by New Jersey in 2004. The Knicks will likely face either Miami or Boston, hoping Stoudemire, Anthony, and Billups can match whichever Big Three they draw.
J.J. Hickson had 23 points and Baron Davis added 22 for the Cavaliers, who hadn’t lost to the Knicks since Dec. 19, 2007, at Madison Square Garden.
Nuggets 95, Lakers 90 — Danilo Gallinari scored 22 points, Kenyon Martin scored 6 of his 18 in the final 3:24, and stubborn Denver hung on in Los Angeles to extend its winning streak to six games.
Kobe Bryant scored 28 points for the Lakers, whose loss ended a nine-game winning streak and dropped them 2 ½ games behind San Antonio in the Western Conference.
It was only the second defeat in 19 games for the Lakers since the All-Star break. The other came against Miami March 10.
Spurs 114, Suns 97 — George Hill scored 29 points and host San Antonio stopped the longest skid of Tim Duncan’s career, beating up Phoenix and ending a six-game losing streak.
It was a cathartic rout for San Antonio after going winless for two weeks and squandering a once-comfortable lead in the West. Aaron Brooks and Channing Frye had 14 points apiece for the Suns. The loss guaranteed Phoenix will miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
Matt Bonner added 16 points and 11 rebounds for San Antonio (58-19), which remains the NBA’s winningest team, but lost its air of dominance during the longest slide of Duncan’s 14-year career.
Heat 108, Nets 94 — LeBron James had 31 points and 11 rebounds and Miami opened a 16-point first-quarter lead and never looked back at Newark.
Dwyane Wade added 18 points despite a first-quarter thigh injury and Chris Bosh had 16 as the Heat won their third straight and eighth in nine games.
