The New York Knicks delivered one of the most lopsided victories in NBA playoff history Thursday night, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 to clinch their first-round series in six games.
The 51-point margin marked the largest postseason win in franchise history and sent New York to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the fourth straight year.
OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 29 points, scoring 26 in the first half as New York seized control early and never relented. Mikal Bridges added 24 points, while Jalen Brunson finished with 17 points and eight assists. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a triple-double, his second of the series.
New York’s dominance was evident from the opening stretch. A 63-11 run helped the Knicks build an 83-36 halftime lead, setting an NBA playoff record for largest margin at the break.
The Hawks never recovered. Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 21 points, but the team suffered one of the worst playoff losses in its history.
Tempers flared in the second quarter when Mitchell Robinson and Dyson Daniels were ejected following an on-court altercation, one of the few disruptions in an otherwise one-sided contest.
The victory capped a series in which New York rebounded from two narrow losses to win four of the final five games.
With the win, the Knicks advance to face either the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers in the next round.
