USA TODAY International Edition
In game against Mavericks, Jeremy Lin’s legend grows
No matter what Dallas tries— double- teams, traps, blitzes— he finds a way to score.
NEW YORK — Can’t go left. Can’t shoot from outside. Too many turnovers. Won’t last against the best.
Each time out, New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin is dispelling criticism of his game. The Knicks’ 104- 97 victory Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks was a perfect example.
Lin’s legend, if possible, grew. The NBA’S first American- born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent had 28 points, a careerhigh 14 assists and five steals — his fourth double- double — and played the entire second half.
“What you can’t teach is what he has inside, his heart. . . . And he has it,” Knicks coach Mike D’antoni said.
No matter what the defending champion Mavs threw at Lin — double- teams, traps, blitzes, tall defenders ( 6- 7 Shawn Marion), smaller ones ( 6- 4 Jason Kidd)— he found a way to score, distribute, make plays and rally the Knicks from a 12- point third- quarter deficit to their eighth win in nine games.
“They did a great job of doubling. It was different. I hadn’t seen that. It caught me off guard a little bit,” said Lin, who seemed to adjust.
Newly signed guard J. R. Smith, who arrived Saturday night from a stint playing in China, had 15 points off the bench for the Knicks ( 16- 16). They could get back All- Star forward Carmelo Anthony ( strained right groin) today against the New Jersey Nets.
Lin impressed Dallas All- Star forward and 2007 MVP Dirk Nowitzki. “We really tried to trap him off the pick- and- roll, but he is crafty,” Nowitzki said. “He knows how to get to the basket. He knows how to cut off, spin and still get to his spots . . . and hit some tough threes.”
Lin’s meteoric ascent has impacted his family in Taiwan.
“One special request I have is for the media in Taiwan to kind of give them their space,” he said, “because they can’t go to work without being bombarded and people following them.”