Knicks win 8th straight as Stoudemire hits 30 in 8th straight

The booming chants were for Amare Stoudemire.

Maybe the New York Knicks have the only superstar they need.

"Sky's the limit," Stoudemire said. "It's just a matter of us continuing to improve."

Stoudemire scored 24 of his 30 points in the second half, Wilson Chandler made the tiebreaking three-pointer with 30 seconds left, and the Knicks beat the visiting Denver Nuggets 129-125 yesterday for their first eight-game winning streak in 16 years.

Stoudemire also set a franchise record with his eighth straight 30-point game.

Winning for the 13th time in 14 games, the Knicks have won eight straight for the first time since Dec. 27, 1994-Jan. 13, 1995.

The Knicks seemed to be going nowhere when a 120-118 loss in Denver on Nov. 16 dropped them to 3-8. But they have lost just once since thanks mostly to Stoudemire, who was serenaded with "MVP! MVP!" chants in the final minute of yesterday's game.

"They look like a totally different team right now," Denver's Carmelo Anthony said.

Chandler scored 27 points, and Raymond Felton had 19 points and a season-high 17 assists. Anthony had 31 points and 13 rebounds in his return to the lineup after missing two games with an inflamed right knee.

In other games:

At Newark, N.J., Kobe Bryant scored 25 of his 32 points in the second half and had two assists in a late eight-point run that led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets.

Lamar Odom had 22 points and Pau Gasol a 15-point, 11-rebound effort. Brook Lopez had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, who have lost seven straight and nine of 11.

* At San Antonio, George Hill scored 22 points and the Spurs became the NBA's first 20-game winner with a 95-78 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Tim Duncan played in his 1,000th career regular-season game but with little fanfare. He had eight points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes.

* At Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 25 points to lead the Thunder to a 106-77 blowout of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

* At Los Angeles, Dwight Howard scored 22 points as the Orlando Magic rode a 21-point first-quarter lead to a 94-85 win over the Clippers.