In Defeat, Mavericks Praise Knicks" Lin Dirk Nowitzki used the word crafty multiple times to describe Jeremy Lin. So maybe Lin's ability to fight through both the Dallas Mavericks" double teams and his own mistakes while leading the Knicks to a 104-97 victory Sunday was youthful craftiness: exuberant youth combined with savvy generated by wisdom beyond his years. Lin was not able to fully eliminate his mistakes - he had seven turnovers - but it did not matter. One game after his rough first half sabotaged the Knicks" seven-game winning streak (they fell to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday), Lin had learned lessons, and against a tougher opponent. He had 28 points and 14 assists against the defending N.B.A. champion Mavericks. "He is very humble and plays extremely hard no matter if he makes a mistake or makes a fantastic play," Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd said. Dallas forward Shawn Marion, noting Lin's propensity to turn the ball over, said, "He won't dwell on it, and that is very rare." Kidd is from Oakland, Calif. Steve Nash played at Santa Clara. Lin is from Palo Alto, Calif. Perhaps there is something in Northern California that helps point guards become great. "We develop some of the best," Kidd said. Kidd said Lin told him he followed his career growing up. "He was telling me that, "Coming down the stretch, I know you're going to make a 3," and unfortunately I didn't do that tonight," Kidd said. "The ones I did miss, he thought I made, so I think he was softening me up," Kidd said, joking. The Mavericks showed Lin different reads on defense. They often defended Lin with the 6-foot-7 Marion, who is athletic and physically imposing and whom the team owner, Mark Cuban, labeled the Mavericks" defensive most valuable player. After Lin helped end the Mavericks" six-game winning streak, Marion praised Lin's patience and ability to reset on offense. "Primarily, he is the one handling the pick-and-rolls," Marion said. He'll go from one to another if he doesn't get what he wants or what they want. So it's a lot of work. Defending waves of pick-and-rolls, essentially trying to shuttle around human traffic cones, was a topic Marion kept returning to. "He's a feisty little thing," he said of Lin. I give him credit - he plays hard. You have to take certain things away from him. There were a thousand pick-and-rolls out there. It's hard to guard him. That's the hardest thing to guard in the league. Even if it is also the most common play in the league. Lin's combination of height (he is 6-3) and willingness to absorb contact when driving into the lane late in the shot clock seem to feed that patience. Sacramento Kings Coach Keith Smart said last week that Lin, whom he coached with Golden State, would peek up at the shot clock periodically to check how much time he had to maneuver. That is rare for a young point guard, Smart said. "Obviously with the double team, I was just trying to get rid of it or back it up and wait for the double team to go away," Lin said. Then I would attack Marion. Coach Mike D'Antoni said the Knicks had anticipated the Mavericks" defensive strategy. "They trapped a lot, and we worked on that the other day, worked on every kind of defense and tried to show him the looks," D'Antoni said. Kidd said Lin was "playing extremely well." "He is taking D'Antoni's offense and he's looking a little bit like Steve Nash out there," Kidd said. The Nash comparison has been made by many around the N.B.A. Nash has generally been at his most valuable with talented teammates. Lin enjoyed that Sunday. With J. R. Smith making an immediate impact, scoring 15 points off the bench in his Knicks debut, and Steve Novak's 3-point stroke providing a big lift in the fourth quarter, the Knicks were able to space the floor in a manner that benefited Lin when the Mavericks threw double teams at him in key situations. "He knows how to cut off, spin, and still get to his spots," Nowitzki said. If Vince Carter or Jason Terry had to keep an eye on Landry Fields or Novak because of swift ball movement and good spacing, Lin's seam to the basket was less crowded. With Carmelo Anthony possibly returning on Monday against the Nets, those gaps should grow.