ATLANTA -- It was quietly rumbling beneath the surface, the New York Knicks heading toward a dominant performance.
That rumble turned into an uncontrollable explosion as the Knicks set records in Game 6, disposing of the Hawks in a 140-89 rout as they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks await the winner of the Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers series, which will conclude with a Game 7 in Boston on Saturday.
The Knicks made sure their series wasn't headed toward a winner-take-all scenario.
New York turned a two-point deficit into a 25-point lead at the end of the first quarter, and the Knicks surged to an NBA playoff-record 47-point halftime cushion. The 51-point final margin of victory was the largest playoff win in franchise history.
The previous halftime record was set by the 2025 Indiana Pacers and 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers, who both led by 41 points at the break. The Knicks dispatched the Hawks despite falling into a 2-1 series deficit after a pair of one-point losses. But New York emphatically responded, reeling off three straight lopsided wins.
Game 6 was the culmination. After winning by 14 points in Game 4 and 29 points in Game 5, the Knicks left no doubt in their latest blowout win, which New York coach Mike Brown said was a result of Atlanta forcing them to adjust.
"The biggest thing is we had to change our offense," Brown said. "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."
Karl-Anthony Towns orchestrated the offense once again, having cutters moving around and confusing the smaller Hawks defenders. Towns finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, his second triple-double of the series.
"They forced us to put our thinking caps on, and they forced us to play different," Brown said. "Find ways to make the game easier for our players while putting them in their strengths, while trying not to hinder them."
Brown tweaked his offense earlier in the season to accommodate Towns, and he became a more efficient scorer. This alteration has turned Towns into more of a facilitator, and it has unlocked the rest of the offense, at least in this series.
OG Anunoby, who nearly outscored the Hawks in the first half, was a key beneficiary. Anunoby scored 29, and has averaged 24.2 points in the past four games.
The Knicks showed they can handle adversity, help Mikal Bridges play with some confidence and emerge from this series playing their best basketball.
"We've always told each other that obviously we want to win, and that's most important," Jalen Brunson said. "We've said it a lot. When it comes to decisions like this, it's about actions."
While the other Eastern Conference playoff teams have yet to advance, the Knicks can rest for a few days before the next series begins. Josh Hart was listed as questionable for Game 6 because of a lower-back contusion, but he started and played 27 minutes.
Bridges had been criticized in this series as his minutes dwindled while he struggled to score. But he had a bounce-back performance in Game 6, shooting 10-of-12 and finishing with 24 points and five rebounds.
"It was great. He just did what he's capable of doing now," Brown said of Bridges. "I wouldn't let it go unnoticed that his defense was phenomenal. Not only was his defense phenomenal but rebounding."
Despite the lopsided victory, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was ejected in the second quarter for an altercation with Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, who was also thrown out. Both players got tangled up during a free throw.
The scuffle got close to the crowd before both players were separated.
"It's tough because when you're up that big, stuff happens," Brown said. "And it's hard. If somebody feels like something that shouldn't happen happens, it's hard to keep your composure in that moment."