• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Lin pushes Knicks past T'Wolves

Feb 12, 2012 - 4:37 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - The legend of "Linsanity" grew a bit larger on Saturday as Jeremy Lin scored 20 points, including a game-winning free throw with the game tied to lead the Knicks over the Timberwolves 100-98 at Target Center.

"Obviously it was an ugly one. It was a gutsy one, it was a road win," said Lin. "Everybody was tired. But that's the duty of basketball. We never gave up. I struggled a lot tonight but I mean everyone who came in gave us a lift and picked us up."

Lin also had eight assists, while Iman Shumpert added 20 points and Landry Fields contributed 19 for the Knicks, who have now won five straight games.

Kevin Love had a game-high 32 points to go with 21 rebounds and Nikola Pekovic added a double-double with 21 points and 13 boards as Minnesota lost its third straight game after winning the previous three.

Down three with just under 40 seconds left, Steve Novak drilled a triple to tie the game, and Ricky Rubio turned the ball over on the T'Wolves next touch, giving the Knicks a chance to win with 25.9 seconds left.

Lin drove the lane, drew the contact from Luke Ridnour and stepped to the line for two shots with 4.9 seconds to play.

The first one hit back rim and missed, but the second went through as the Knicks took a 99-98 lead.

Rubio got the inbounds pass at the other end, but lost the handle and the ball rolled out of bounds to give possession over to New York.

Russell Walker split his free throws, giving Minnesota life, down 100-98 with 1.3 to go.

However, A Love three from the corner was way off the mark as the Knicks escaped Minnesota with the victory.

"I was very disappointed, we had 23 turnovers," said Love about his team's effort. "We just need to continue to learn from this situation. We all just need to come together."

Love, who finished the first quarter with 15 points, added a layup for the final bucket of the stanza as Minnesota took a 33-30 lead.

Minnesota would score the final six points of the second stanza to take a 62-54 advantage into the locker room.

Fields scored the first six points of the third quarter as the Knicks cut into the deficit slightly, trailing 87-82 heading into the final frame.

A Novak three with 3:03 left in the fourth sparked a 7-0 run for the Knicks as they pulled ahead 95-94 with 1:23 to play.

Fields would miss a jumper after Love hit two free throws. Rubio then drove the lane and finished with his left hand on the ensuing possession to give Minnesota a three-point advantage with 39.9 remaining.

Game Notes

New York had lost six of seven in Minnesota coming into the game...New York will visit Toronto on Tuesday, while Minnesota will look to regroup in Orlando on Monday...The Knicks are 3-6 on the backend of a back-to-back...The Timberwolves had 18 second chance points, while the Knicks managed just seven.