ATLANTA — The final numbers show Game 6 of the Hawks-Knicks series lasted a full 48 minutes. In reality, the game was decided in the first four minutes and 10 seconds — the only stretch where Atlanta could keep pace with New York.
What came after that was total dominance. The Knicks opened with a near-perfect 40-15 first quarter and built a staggering 83-36 halftime lead — yes, you read that correctly — to overwhelm the Hawks and earn a fourth straight trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Brunson and Towns lead the Knicks past the Hawks 113-102 in Game 1 of their series – WWLP
The final score of New York 140, Atlanta 89 felt more like mercy than victory, sparing the Knicks from running up the tally even higher. New York now waits for the winner of the Boston-Philadelphia series and, after this showing, looks like a serious contender for a deep playoff run.
East First Round: New York wins series 4-2
The Hawks learned the hard way about adjusting to a punch — except this time it was a nonstop barrage. Any plans Atlanta had to contain the Knicks went out the window early. Nothing slowed New York except the final buzzer. If this had been a different sport, the mercy rule might have kicked in.
After splitting the first three games with razor-thin margins, the Knicks flipped the script. They won Games 4 and 5 by a combined 45 points, then delivered this final statement in Atlanta’s home arena. The Hawks couldn’t salvage their season or their pride, heading into the offseason after a loss that will sting for a while.
New York arrived believing their core group led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns had reached another level. For the Hawks, warning signs were everywhere — from the subdued crowd atmosphere to bargain ticket prices for what was supposed to be a high-stakes game.
Reveling Knicks fans take over 7th Ave. in chaotic scene of pure bliss
Once the ball tipped off, the blowout unfolded fast. After Atlanta briefly led 9-5, the Knicks responded with a crushing 65-10 run. New York joined an elite group as just the seventh team in NBA history to win a playoff game by 50 points or more.
A deep look at the stats tells the full story: Knicks starters all posted plus/minus ratings of +35 or better, while no Hawks starter managed better than -24. Towns recorded a triple-double — his second of the series — and OG Anunoby caught fire with 26 first-half points. New York shot nearly 59 percent from the field compared to Atlanta’s 38 percent, forced 19 turnovers, and won the rebounding battle handily.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown praised his team afterward, saying, “Offensively, we did the things that we were supposed to do. And our players were really, really good with their focus and attention to detail.”
The only real scrap came late in the second quarter when a foul-line tangle led to a brief scuffle, but by then the Knicks led by 50. Many Hawks fans headed for the exits early, leaving the arena filled with blue-and-orange cheers from visiting supporters.
By the fourth quarter, it felt like a relaxed scrimmage, with deep bench players getting extended minutes and easy conversation audible across the stands between waves of “Let’s go, Knicks!” chants.
For New York, the question now is how far this version of the team can go. “When we’re locked in, playing close to our best, we’re really, really good,” Towns said. “It’s about finding that team and that version of us consistently.”
The Knicks will turn the page quickly, as Brunson noted: “Honestly, nothing. We’ve got to turn the page tomorrow and refocus up. I’m glad we got the win, regardless if it was by one or 60.”
After this kind of statement victory, that next step feels a lot more promising than it did just a week ago.