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Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks during an NBA game.

The New York Knicks dominated the Atlanta Hawks from start to finish of Game 6 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Knicks are set to face the winner of the Boston Celtics–Philadelphia 76ers series.

OG Anunoby led the way for the Knicks, finishing with 29 points, seven rebounds, two assists and four steals. Mikal Bridges had his best game of the series, scoring 24 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns dropped his second triple-double of the playoffs. He had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Jalen Brunson had 17 points and eight assists as the Knicks embarrassed the Hawks 140-89.

Jalen Brunson Reveals Secret to Knicks Win

GettyJalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks celebrates after a basket during the first half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Brunson raved about their defense as the reason for their dominant victory. They limited the Hawks to just 15 points in the first quarter and 36 points at the half.

The game was over at halftime, with the score of 83-36, which was the largest halftime lead in NBA history.

“We were able to get stops, run in transition, get layups,” Brunson said, via The New York Post. “It really came down to our defense. It allowed us to play fast. Allowed us to play in transition. And we made shots. Most importantly, it shows us what we’re capable of defensively. I think that’s really important.”

The Knicks’ defense reached a different level in the last three games of the series. They looked lost in the first three after being down 2-1, but something clicked after their defeat in Game 3.

Mike Brown Credits Change in Offense

GettyKarl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks speaks with head coach Mike Brown during the second half against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on October 26, 2025 in Miami, Florida.

While Brunson liked what they did on defense, coach Mike Brown credited changing their offense for their series win against the Hawks.

Brown changed things up in Game 4 by making Towns the main playmaker from the post. They beat Hawks by an average margin of 32.3 points in the final three games.

“The biggest thing is we had to change our offense,” Brown said, via ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “Again, not as drastic as we probably did halfway through the year, but we had to change it, because every possession was a grind those first three games, especially down the stretch.”

KAT averaged 16.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks from Game 4 to Game 6.

What’s Next For The Knicks?

The Knicks advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. They will face either the Celtics on the road or the Sixers at home in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Celtics had a 3-1 series lead against the Sixers, but Joel Embiid’s return has fueled the comeback. The series comes down to Game 7 on Saturday at the TD Garden.

If the Knicks face the Celtics, they won the regular-season series 3-1. But against the Sixers, they split the four games. Nevertheless, the Knicks have won their last playoff series against both teams in 2025 and 2024, respectively.