Lin lifts Knicks to dramatic win over Raptors

TORONTO – 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 Tuesday.

Jeremy Lin. AP FILE PHOTO

Lin scored the game-winning three-pointer with 0.5 seconds 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 to O’Neal who scored 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 Tuesday but picked it up in the second half.

“The coverage was little different today, something I hadn’t seen,” he said. “I just tried to stay aggressive.”

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

The point guard Lin has carried the Knicks on his back during the win streak. He had a career-best 38 points against the Los Angeles Lakers and followed it up with a 20-point performance in a 100-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Jose Calderon scored 25 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds for the Raptors, who beat the Knicks earlier in the year and have won 11 of their last 15 at home in this series.