New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (17) passes to a teammate in front of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (42) and Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) during the second half of their NBA basketball game in the Target Center in Minneapolis, February 11, 2012. New York won 100-98. Lin finished with 20 points. Photo by Eric Miller, Reuters.

MANILA, Philippines -- Jeremy Lin made up for a poor second half by making the game-winning free throw with five seconds left, leading the New York Knicks to their fifth win in a row after edging the Minnesota Timberwolves, 100-98.

The Knicks battled not only the Wolves but their own fatigue as they were playing their third game in four nights. They were down for most of the second half, but ended the game on a 12-4 run.

A lay-up from Ricky Rubio gave the Wolves a three-point lead, 98-95, with less than 40 seconds to go, but Steve Novak tied the game with a three-pointer in the next Knicks possession.

Lin, who shot one-of-13 in the second half and committed four turnovers, then gave the Knicks the lead for good with a free throw in the last five seconds.

"It was an ugly one, it was a gutsy one," Lin told NBA.com afterward. "It was a road win, everybody was tired."

"We knew that guys were tired and we knew that this was a hump game that we had to get over," Knicks guard Landry Fields added. "It was an emotional win for us."

Lin finished with 20 points, six rebounds and eight assists, though he did have six turnovers. He out-dueled Minnesota's Rubio, who finished with 12 points and eight helpers.

The Wolves wasted a tremendous performance from Kevin Love, who had 32 points and 21 rebounds.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks escaped the Portland Trail Blazers in double overtime, 97-94, after Dirk Nowitzki canned a fadeaway jumper with 16.9 seconds to go.

Nowitzki finished with 20 points while Jason Terry came off the bench to score 19 points for the Mavericks.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, but missed a jumper with 1:09 to go in the second overtime that could have given the Blazers the lead.

The Orlando Magic defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 99-94, behind 31 points from Jason Richardson.

The Phoenix Suns trounced the Sacramento Kings, 98-84.