Lin sparks rally but Knicks fall to Hornets

New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin drives past New Orleans Hornets' Jarrett Jack (2) and Trevor Ariza (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK – Jeremy Lin sparked a fourth-quarter comeback but the New York Knicks could not extend their magical “Lin-sanity” seven-game NBA win streak, losing to the New Orleans Hornets 89-85 on Friday.

The Knicks had been on a magical run since bench-warmer Lin, cut by two clubs before the season, was called upon with two starters missing and answered with the most points of any player in his first five starts since 1976.

Lin finished with 26 points, matching Amare Stoudemire for the game-high total, and contributed five assists and four steals, but in the end, he found out that you can’t Lin them all.

But Lin also made nine turnovers, matching the most by any NBA player in a game this season. He made eight turnovers in the first half when the Hornets seized command.

Lin, who scored 16 points in the second half and made only one turnover after half-time, went 8-of-18 shooting from the field, 2-of-5 from 3-point range, and made 8-of-10 free throws.

Trevor Ariza scored 25 points and Italy’s Marco Belinelli added 17 to lead the Hornets, who rose to 7-23 by winning their third game in a row by holding off a late charge by Lin and Amare Stoudemire in the final minutes.

But the buzz around the game was focused upon Lin, the 23-year-old point guard who is the first US-born NBA player of Taiwanese and Chinese heritage. His parents are from Taiwan while a maternal grandmother is from China.

Lin’s fortnight of amazing moments, including several high-scoring efforts, a last-second 3-pointer to beat Toronto and 13 assists to help seven players reach double figures in a romp over Sacramento, captured the world’s attention.

And while the win streak has ended, there is no cure in sight “Lin-sanity” as Knicks fans saw their team rise from a mediocre also-ran to a formidable force, knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers during their win streak.

New York’s Jared Jeffries hit a jump shot and added a free throw that pulled the Knicks within two points, but Jeffries fouled the Hornets’ Gustavo Ayon on a layup and the Mexican forward hit a free throw to give New Orleans a 76-71 edge with 5:04 to play.

The Knicks pulled within 78-75 on a Stoudemire layup with 4:05 to play but Lin missed a layup and a possible tying 3-pointer with 2:31 remaining.

Belinelli banked in a jumper for the Hornets but Lin answered with a layup to pull the Knicks within 80-77 with 1:55 to play.

Lin made a steal and hit two free throws with 1:06 to go to pull New York within 82-80 but the Hornets hit three free throws to answer a Lin layup and even after Lin sank two free throws with 27 seconds remaining to pull the Knicks within 85-82, the Hornets were in command.

Belinelli and Jarrett Jack hit two free throws each and Stoudemire responded with a 3-point play but it was not enough to prevent the Knicks from falling to 15-16.