04/30/26 10:30:00
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04/30 22:29 CDT Knicks crush Hawks in record-setting 140-89 Game 6 rout to end
Atlanta's season
Knicks crush Hawks in record-setting 140-89 Game 6 rout to end Atlanta's season
By MAURA CAREY
AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) --- OG Anunoby scored 29 points in 27 minutes, Karl-Anthony Towns
had his second triple-double of the series and the New York Knicks had their
biggest playoff victory in franchise history, overwhelming and eliminating the
Atlanta Hawks 140-89 in Game 6 on Thursday night.
The Knicks broke several NBA records by halftime. Their 40-15 lead at the end
of the first quarter marked the largest of the shot clock era. Their 47-point
halftime lead was the biggest in playoff history.
It was New York's third straight win after falling to 1-2 in the series
following back-to-back one-point losses.
"It speaks volumes on our team that we were able to bounce back from two
disappointing losses," Towns said. "We had to step up to the challenge of being
down in the series --- super proud of our guys for that."
New York's 51-point win tied for the sixth-largest margin of victory in NBA
postseason history.
Dyson Daniels and Mitchell Robinson were ejected after fighting following a
pair of free throws from Anunoby that gave the Knicks a 50-point lead in the
second quarter.
The Knicks exceeded 100 points with 8:21 remaining in the third quarter. New
York's starters were done for the night with 2:45 remaining in the third.
"It was just a tough position to be in," Atlanta's Jalen Johnson said. "We dug
ourselves a deep hole from the start and it was tough to climb out of that."
Anunoby scored 26 of his points in the first half. Mikal Bridges finished with
24. Towns, five days after becoming the fourth Knicks player with a playoff
triple-double, had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Hawks were 12 for 39 from the field in the first half and 4 for 18 from
3-point range. Atlanta had 14 turnovers in the first half.
Johnson led the Hawks with 21 points. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum and
Jonathan Kuminga each had 11 points.
The Knicks will face the winner of the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers
series in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
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