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Lin Has 28 Points, 14 Assists; Knicks Stop Mavs

Jeremy Lin, Vince Carter, Dominique Jones
New York Knicks’ Jeremy Lin, center, drives through Dallas Mavericks’ Vince Carter, right, and Dominique Jones during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

 

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New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin, center, drives through Dallas Mavericks' Vince Carter, right, and Dominique Jones during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Jeremy Lin had 28 points and a career-high 14 assists, Steve Novak made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and the New York Knicks ended the Dallas Mavericks’ six-game winning streak with a 104-97 victory Sunday.

J.R. Smith scored 15 points in his Knicks debut and Novak had all of his 14 in the final period as New York won for the eighth time in nine games.

In a game of wild momentum swings, the Knicks reeled off 17 straight points in the first quarter, fell behind by 12 in the third, then pulled it out to beat the Mavericks for only the third time in the last 20 meetings.

Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 34 points for the Mavericks, who had been playing championship-level defense but became the latest team who couldn’t stop Lin.