By Blessing Nweke
The New York Knicks delivered a performance for the record books Thursday night, overpowering the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 in Game 6 to clinch their playoff series in emphatic fashion. The 51- point victory marked the largest postseason win in franchise history and tied for the sixth-largest margin in NBA playoff history.
OG Anunoby led the charge with 29 points in just 27 minutes, including a dominant 26-point first half that set the tone early. Karl-Anthony Towns added a triple-double—his second of the series—with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, continuing his standout postseason run.
The Knicks wasted no time asserting control, jumping to a 40-15 lead after the first quarter—the largest first-quarter margin in the shot clock era. By halftime, the score had ballooned to a 47- point gap, the biggest halftime lead in NBA playoff history.
Tensions flared in the second quarter when Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson were ejected following an on-court altercation after Anunoby’s free throws pushed the lead to 50.
Mikal Bridges contributed 24 points as New York’s offense remained relentless, surpassing 100 points midway through the third quarter. Starters were pulled late in the period with the outcome long decided.
Atlanta struggled throughout, shooting just 12- for -39 in the first half and committing 14 turnovers. Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 21 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum, and Jonathan Kuminga each added 11.
The Knicks now advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they will face the winner of the Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers series.
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