Lin, Knicks crush Kings for seventh straight win

By Paul Levine Feb 16, 2012, 8:24 GMT

Los Angeles - Jeremy Lin didn't need to have another big scoring game or make another game-winning shot on Wednesday, but the overnight sensation had a big assist in the New York Knicks' latest win.

Lin collected 10 points with a career-high 13 assists, sparking the surging Knicks to their seventh straight win after crushing the visiting Sacramento Kings 100-85 on Wednesday night.

The NBA's first American-Taiwanese player, Lin has had six straight games of 20 or more points since the bench warmer was inserted in the rotation to spark New York's longest run since March 2011 as Lin-sanity began.

In that run, Lin scored a career-high 38 against the LA Lakers and hit the game-winning triple to beat Toronto on Tuesday night.

However, the heady point guard turned facilitator 25 hours later, setting up his teammates for easy baskets in the runaway win.

'Jeremy Lin has a great ability to run the offence,' Knicks centre Tyson Chandler said. 'Coach (Mike D'Antoni) has had the ability to make point guards great. I think Jeremy has come in and filled that role perfectly.'

'As a point guard my field goal attempts have been really high and I don't think that's necessarily good,' Lin said.

'It's my job to distribute and get people in rhythm, especially when 'Melo comes back, another lethal scorer. My shots will go down and my assists will go up.'

Knicks top scorer Carmelo Anthony is expected back in the lineup as early as Friday after being sidelined with a groin strain.

Landry Fields had 15 points with 10 rebounds, while Bill Walker and Steve Novak chipped in 14 points apiece for the Knicks (15-15), who led 54-36 at halftime and cruised to the runaway win.

'We're playing exceptionally well, right now,' said Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire. 'It's a lot of fun; we're playing with a lot of confidence and it's growing.'

Tyreke Evans scored 19 points for the Kings, who dropped to 0-2 on their six game road trip.

Elsewhere: San Antonio Spurs 113, Toronto Raptors 106: Frenchman Tony Parker had 34 points and 14 assists, leading the visiting Spurs past the Raptors for their season-high ninth consecutive victory.

DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points for the Raptors, who have dropped eight of 10.

Houston Rockets 96, Oklahoma City Thunder 95: Kevin Martin matched a season-high with 32 points, including the winning free throws with 23.6 seconds remaining, as the Rockets edged the visiting Thunder.

Kevin Durant topped Oklahoma City with 33 points but missed three shots in the closing seconds.

LA Clippers 102, Washington Wizards 84: Blake Griffin had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Randy Foye scored all 10 of his points in the final frame, helping the Clippers pulled away from the visiting Wizards for their ninth win in the last 12 games.

Orlando Magic 103, Philadelphia 76ers 87: Ryan Anderson fired in seven triples en route to 27 points, shooting the Magic past the visiting Sixers for its seventh win in the last nine games.

Cleveland Cavaliers 98, Indiana Pacers 87: Rookie Kyrie Irving scored 22 points after missing three games because of a concussion, and the Cavs sent the visiting Pacers to their fifth straight loss.

Detroit Pistons 98, Boston Celtics 88: Rodney Stuckey scored 25 points, Greg Monroe and Ben Gordon added 22 apiece as the visiting Pistons beat the Celtics for their seventh win in the last nine games.

Rajon Rondo had a season-high 35 points for Boston, which played without starting forward Kevin Garnett because of a hip flexor.

Minnesota Timberwolves 102, Charlotte Bobcats 90: Kevin Love collected 30 points and 18 rebounds, and the Timberwolves ended a four-game slide while sending the league-worst Bobcats to their 16th consecutive loss.

Memphis Grizzlies 105, New Jersey Nets 100: Rudy Gay scored 25 points, Marreese Speights added a season-high 20 points and a career-best 18 rebounds as the visiting Grizzlies handed the Nets their seventh straight loss despite Deron Williams' 26 points.

Atlanta Hawks 101, Phoenix Suns 99: Josh Smith scored a season-high-tying 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds as the visiting Hawks shaded the Suns, who received 22 points and 16 assists from Steve Nash.

New Orleans Hornets 92, Milwaukee Bucks 89: Italy's Marco Belinelli buried six triples en route to a season-high 22 points and the visiting Hornets won back-to-back games for the first time since the start of the season in late December.

Portland Trail Blazers 93, Golden State Warriors 91: Gerald Wallace scored 24 points and Jamal Crawford hit the tie-breaking free throws with 43 seconds left, lifting the Trail Blazers-minus All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle sprain) to just their second win in the last 13 visits to Oakland.

David Lee topped the Warriors with a season high tying 29 points and 11 rebounds.