ATLANTA -- The New York Knicks set an NBA playoff record Thursday night with a 47-point halftime lead over the Atlanta Hawks, on their way to a 140-89 win and a berth in the second round.
The Knicks held the Hawks to just 36 points in the first half of Game 6 of their first-round series, forcing 14 turnovers. New York had its best offensive half of the playoffs, shooting over 60% overall and 44% from 3 and scoring 83 points before halftime.
At one point, Knicks forward OG Anunoby had outscored the Hawks, and he ended the half with 26 points.
The Hawks led 11-9 in the opening minutes before the Knicks outscored Atlanta by 53 points over the next 18 minutes.
The previous record for an NBA playoffs halftime lead was 41 points, set by the 2025 Indiana Pacers and 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers. On Thursday, the Knicks took a 41-point lead at the 7:12 mark of the second quarter -- the fastest any team has taken a 40-point lead in the play-by-play era, according to ESPN Research.
The Knicks stretched that to a 50-point cushion at the 4:39 mark, taking a 50-point lead faster than any team had taken a 40-point advantage in a playoff game since tracking began in 1998.
Mikal Bridges, who has struggled in the series, had his best production with 16 points in the first half, topping his previous high of 11 in Game 1.