Jeremy Lin Leads Knicks Over Wizards, 107-93 (VIDEO)
WASHINGTON — Jeremy Lin had 23 points and a career-high 10 assists, and Tyson Chandler scored 25 points and had 11 rebounds to lead the New York Knicks to their third straight win, 107-93 over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
Chandler, a 10-year NBA veteran, finished two points short of his career high, but it was again Lin's night. Following his two breakout games of 25 points against New Jersey and 28 in Monday's win against Utah with a dazzling display of his passing and shooting skills, Lin was 9 for 14 from the field, and five of six from the line.
Steve Novak added 19 points for New York, which won its eighth straight over Washington and earned its second three-game winning streak this season.
Washington dropped to 5-21, and failed again for its first two-game winning streak of the season. John Wall led the Wizards with 29 points, but he was easily outdone by Lin.
When the Knicks last played here on Jan. 6, Lin didn't play at all. With their two leading scorers missing – Carmelo Anthony gone for a week or two with a strained right groin and Amare Stoudemire mourning the loss of his brother – New York desperately needed Lin's scoring this time around.
He didn't single-handedly make up for the 40 points that Anthony and Stoudemire provide, but sure energized the decidedly pro-New York crowd.
The fans cheered louder for Lin than for any other player in introductions, waving Taiwanese flags and signs _including one that read: "Linning and Grinning."
The Knicks shot just 25 percent in the first quarter and trailed 23-17. Lin missed all three shots he attempted, and moments after the third, he was called for his second foul – a block against Wall – and sustained a gash and left the game with 4:06 to play.
The second quarter was much better for New York as it outscored Washington 35-23 to take a 52-46 halftime lead. Novak hit four 3-pointers.
Lin returned about two minutes into the second quarter and scored eight points – on three layups and a pretty 17-foot bank shot just before halftime. He found Novak for all four of his 3s.
Lin scored on a bank shot to start the third quarter, and after Washington scored the next 10 points for a 56-54 lead, he hit four free throws, another layup and a right-handed dunk with 2:59 left to give the Knicks a 72-66 lead. He made another layup to end the quarter with 12 points – and a 77-68 New York advantage.
The Wizards narrowed the deficit to 79-72, but Lin and Iman Shumpert, who had 11 of his 17 points in the quarter helped give New York a 103-85 lead with 3:22 to play.
Notes: Five of the seven Knicks who scored were in double figures. ... New York G Baron Davis, who hasn't played this season due to a herniated disk in his back, will return to practice on Thursday, coach Mike D'Antoni said. He's not sure when Davis will be ready to play. ... Stoudemire will return next Monday. He's scheduled to miss four games. ... Washington F Rashard Lewis missed his second straight game with a sore left knee. ... Trevor Booker had 17 points for the Wizards.
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02/ 8/12 11:09 PM ET Associated Press