The New York Knicks delivered one of the most dominant performances in NBA playoff history on Thursday, overwhelming the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 to secure a place in the second round, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

It marked both the highest points total and the largest margin of victory for the Knicks in a postseason game, setting up an Eastern Conference semifinal clash with either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers, who are tied 3-3 following Philadelphia’s latest win.

New York sealed the series 4-2 in emphatic fashion, at one stage leading by as many as 61 points before resting their starters in the final quarter.

The Knicks’ 47-point halftime lead—83-36—set a new record for the largest halftime advantage in NBA postseason history.

OG Anunoby led all scorers with 29 points, including 26 in the first half, before being rested. None of New York’s starters logged more than 29 minutes on the court.

“We can’t just meet the moment, we’ve got to exceed it, and I thought we did a great job of doing that tonight,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Despite entering the series as favorites after finishing third in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks had trailed 2-1 early on before surging back to win four of the final five games.

They become the first team to book a place in the Eastern Conference semifinals, marking their fourth consecutive season reaching that stage.

Atlanta briefly led early in the game at 11-9, but quickly lost control. The Hawks trailed 40-15 by the end of the first quarter, and frustration mounted among players as the deficit widened.

Tensions spilled over when a scuffle broke out involving Mitchell Robinson and Dyson Daniels, drawing in other players from both sides.

With the outcome effectively decided, the second half proceeded without major incidents.

The 51-point defeat fell short of the all-time playoff record margin of 58 points.

“Obviously you hate to lose anything. And to lose the way we did, I think, particularly given the enthusiasm and support that we’ve had from the people in this building... disappointed on a lot of levels,” said Hawks head coach Quin Snyder.

Meanwhile, the Celtics-76ers series is heading to a decisive Game 7 in Massachusetts after Philadelphia defeated Boston 106-93.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 30 points, while Paul George added 23. The 2023 MVP Joel Embiid contributed 19 points along with 10 rebounds and eight assists.

The matchup marks the 23rd playoff series between the historic rivals, the most in NBA history.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev