The New York Knicks, and Jeremy Lin, continued to thrive under interim coach Mike Woodson Friday with a 115-100 NBA victory over the Indiana Pacers. It was the Knicks' second victory since the departure this week of coach Mike D'Antoni, a move that many predicted would spell the end of “Linsanity” – the rush of excitement in February when one-time bench-warmer Lin emerged as an NBA sensation. Lin said Friday morning that Woodson had assured him he would keep his starting point guard role. But one of his main tasks now is to make sure Knicks stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire are fully involved in New York's offense. “We're just building as a team,” Lin said. “We're improving and I think we're developing our chemistry right now.” Lin has been the Knicks' starter at point guard since Feb. 4, when he came off the bench and led the Knicks to a victory over New Jersey. D'Antoni's favored pick-and-roll offensive system was a perfect fit for Lin, who shone during the Knicks' seven-game winning streak in February. However, with Anthony and Stoudemire back in the lineup after absences, Lin was less productive and a six-game losing streak spelled the end for D'Antoni. On Friday the Knicks looked focused as they followed up their 42-point win over Portland Wednesday in Woodson's debut as coach. Tyson Chandler and J.R. Smith scored 16 points apiece. Lin had 13 points and five assists and Anthony had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. “I think now with the change, we had to come together as a team and really figure out, ask ourselves what we really want,” Anthony said. Heat 84, 76ers 78: LeBron James scored 29 points, Dwyane Wade had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Miami held on to beat Philadelphia. The Heat almost had an epic collapse after leading by 29 points in the third quarter. Led by a hard-charging Lou Williams and Evan Turner, the Sixers sliced Miami's lead to four points. James, though, refused to let the lead completely slip away. He hit a pull-up jumper and sank a pair of free throws in the final 90 seconds to help the Heat end a four-game road losing streak. The Heat had lost two straight games overall. Trail Blazers 100, Bulls 89: LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points and Wesley Matthews added 18 as Portland beat Chicago, which was without leading scorer Derrick Rose. After an emotional win over the Heat without Rose on Wednesday, the Bulls were unable to win a second straight game with the reigning MVP sitting on the bench with a strained groin. Hawks 102, Wizards 88: Joe Johnson matched his season high with 34 points, including the first two baskets of a decisive 11-0 run in the fourth quarter, to lead Atlanta over Washington. Josh Smith had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the Hawks. Trevor Booker scored 18 points for the Wizards, who have lost eight straight in Atlanta. Magic 86, Nets 70: Dwight Howard scored 18 points, and Jameer Nelson and Glen Davis each had 13 to help Orlando easily beat New Jersey. Ryan Anderson added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic, who built a 20-point lead and cruised from there. Raptors 114, Grizzlies 100 (OT): Jerryd Bayless scored five of his 28 points in overtime and added nine assists to help the Toronto Raptors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 114-110 on Friday night. Spurs 114, Thunder 105: Tony Parker scored 25 points, Tim Duncan added 16 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs beat Oklahoma City 114-105 on Friday night to inch closer to the first-place Thunder in the Western Conference standings. Other results: Kings 120, Celtics 95; Suns 109, Pistons 101; Bucks 120, Warriors 98; LA Lakers 97, Timberwolves 92.
