NEW YORK, March 16 (Ticker) -- Allan Houston, Kurt Thomas and Mark Jackson of the New York Knicks each scored at least 22 points as the Knicks used a huge advantage at the free-throw line for a 105-95 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

New York posted consecutive wins for the first time in 1 1/2 months. It made 36-of-45 free throws, including three by Houston after Wesley Person was whistled for a touch foul to give the Knicks the lead for good at 83-80 with 8:11 remaining.

Cleveland, which dropped its third straight game, made just 9-of-12 attempts from the line.

"We were going to the basket," Knicks coach Don Chaney said. "Whenever you post up the way we posted up, youre going to get fouls. They went to a small lineup and my big backcourt attacked the basket pretty well and created a lot of shots and got fouled and went to the free-throw line."

NBA TV highlights from Cavs-Knicks: 56k | 300k Latrell Sprewell gives Mark Jackson some love.

Houston tallied 28 points, Thomas had 22 and Jackson a season-high 22 with eight rebounds and eight assists as the Knicks won consecutive games for the first time since a season-best four-game streak at the end of January.

"Tonight was a big team effort," said Jackson, whose team faces the Cavs at Gund Arena on Sunday. "I hope tomorrow night we have the same attitude. I started aggressive by hitting a couple threes to get into the rhythm and I thought I played a good game on both sides of the floor. We need to stay positive and take tonights win into tomorrow night and the rest of the season."

With 90 seconds left and the Knicks up by double digits, Cavs coach John Lucas picked up a technical foul for disagreeing with a foul call, stomped his foot and was handed a second technical, forcing an ejection.

"We got frustrated down the stretch," Lucas said. "After the tie (at) 80-80, thats when the game changed and went into the Knicks favor. I have no bad history with this officiating crew, and I do not want to be fined by the NBA or get in trouble with the NBA. We were aggressive driving to the basket, but we weren't getting the calls."

After Jumaine Jones hit a jumper to get Cleveland within 87-84 with 4 1/2 minutes to go, Houston hit a jumper, Jackson a layup and Houston a technical foul shot and two free throws to extend the Knicks' edge to 94-84 with 3:01 left.

The Cavaliers got no closer than eight points thereafter.

Houston had 16 points and Latrell Sprewell eight of his 18 in the fourth quarter as the Knicks took control.

"I had to have my two shooters in the game," Chaney said. "Although they weren't shooting the ball exceptionally well, I thought that if we posted up, we had to have someone on the perimeter that could hit the shot. I didnt want to tamper with the lineup."

Lamond Murray had 24 points, Ricky Davis 18 and Jones 14 for the Cavs, who led, 65-53, with 7:46 left in the third quarter before the Knicks went on a 14-2 burst to tie the game with under two minutes remaining in the period.

New York led, 43-41, after Houston hit one of his five 3-pointers late in the second quarter. But Cleveland closed the quarter on a 13-4 run to take a seven-point lead at halftime.

Both teams shot the ball fairly well, with the Knicks making 48 percent of their attempts (30-of-63) and the Cavs converting 46 percent (41-of-89).

But Cleveland was whistled for 30 fouls, while New York had just 11.

"I went to the (line) once and drove my share to the basket tonight," Murray said. "And I still cant imagine I drove so much and I only went to the line once. I cant say too much about the officiating tonight, but sometimes the NBAs making sure the home teams or playoff-bound teams get their share of calls."

"Regardless of the officiating and the free-throw difference, we lost this game," said Andre Miller, who had 10 points and 11 assists. "We were up, lost it, came back strong and lost the game when it counted, and that was in the fourth quarter.

We were aggressive and running our tempo game, but it just wasnt our night of getting our calls."