Lin lifts NYK to victory over Raptors

TORONTO - Agence France-Presse

The Knicks’ Jeremy Lin (C) celebrates with teammate Tyson Chandler after his game-winning three-point shot. AP photo

Jeremy Lin scored a game-high 27 points and a career-high 11 assists as the New York Knicks extended their win streak by rallying in the fourth quarter to beat Toronto 90-87 on Feb. 14.

Lin scored the game-winning three pointer with half a second left in the fourth for the Knicks, who have won six consecutive games.

Lin also surpassed Shaquille O’Neal’s league record for the most points in his first five games as a starter. Lin has 136 points over that span, compared with O’Neal’s 129.

“I just wanted to make sure I got a good shot at the end of the clock,” Lin said. “We had so many active hands. Everybody with deflections, rebounds and we clamped it down.

Lin got off to a slow start but picked it up in the second half. “The coverage was little different today,” he said. “I tried to stay aggressive.”

New York’s Amare Stoudemire had 21 points in his first game after missing four consecutive following the death of his brother.

The point guard Lin has carried the Knicks during the win streak. He had a career-best 38 points against the Los Angeles Lakers and followed it up with 20 points over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“The guy has heart,” Stoudemire said. “He played with such courage out there. I was amazed and am still somewhat amazed by the way he’s playing.”