The Knicks were ready to put the Hawks out of their misery.
On Thursday night, in Game 6 of their series with Atlanta, New York was utterly dominant from right out of the gate and shattered the NBA record for the largest halftime lead in a playoff game, en route to a 140–89 series-clinching win.
Led by OG Anunoby’s 26 points and a smothering defense, the Knicks entered the locker room leading 83–36. That 47-point lead bested the previous record of 41, which has been done twice. The Cavaliers led the Boston Celtics 72-31 at the break during Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference finals, while the Knicks were on the receiving end of a 41-point deficit last year when the Pacers led them 80-39 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Here’s a look at the five biggest halftime leads in NBA playoff history.
| YEAR | TEAM | OPPONENT | HALFTIME MARGIN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New York Knicks | Atlanta Hawks | 47 |
| 2017 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Boston Celtics | 41 |
| 2025 | Indiana Pacers | New York Knicks | 41 |
| 1987 | Detroit Pistons | Washington Bullets | 40 |
| 2025 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Miami Heat | 39 |
The lead was so large, it tied for the second-biggest in NBA history, regular season or the playoffs. The record remains the Mavericks’ 50-point lead on the Clippers from December 27, 2020, but New York tied Golden State’s 88-41 lead over the Kings from November 2, 1991.
A look at where this performance stacks up all-time below.
| YEAR | TEAM | OPPONENT | HALFTIME MARGIN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dallas Mavericks | Los Angeles Clippers | 50 |
| 1991 | Golden State Warriors | Sacramento Kings | 47 |
| 2026 | New York Knicks | Atlanta Hawks | 47 |
| 2024 | Boston Celtics | Golden State Warriors | 44 |
| 1967 | Seattle Supersonics | Boston Celtics | 44 |
| 2014 | Dallas Mavericks | Philadelphia 76ers | 44 |
The Knicks had three players in double figures in the first half, as Mikal Bridges scored 16, while Jalen Brunson added 13. Perhaps most impressive was the team’s efficiency. They were 28-for-43 (65%) from the floor, 7-for-16 (44%) from three-point range and 20-for-22 (91%) from the foul line.
The offense was impressive, but New York also completely shut down the Hawks. Atlanta mustered 36 points on 39 attempts from the field, while shooting 31%. CJ McCollum, who has been a thorn in the Knicks’ side during the series, was limited to nine points, while Jalen Johnson had 11 and Jonathan Kuminga was limited to three in 12 minutes off the bench.
While the margin was the headline, the Knicks also scored 83 points, which is the third-most in the first half of a playoff game. The record of 87 was set by the Thunder against the Nuggets last year.
| YEAR | TEAM | OPPONENT | HALFTIME POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Denver Nuggets | 87 |
| 2017 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 86 |
| 2026 | New York Knicks | Atlanta Hawks | 83 |
| 2003 | Dallas Mavericks | Sacramento Kings | 83 |
| 1983 | San Antonio Spurs | Denver Nuggets | 82 |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | Denver Nuggets | 82 |
The Knicks’ first half performance was historic on several levels, helping them punch their ticket to the second round.
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- Grading the Nuggets Season: What Went Right, Wrong for Denver After Disastrous Playoff Loss
- Nuggets Offseason Preview: Denver’s Free Agents, Trade Candidates As It Looks to Retool Around Jokić, Murray
- Nikola Jokić, Timberwolves Get Into Heated Scuffle During Game 6
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Knicks Ride Historic Halftime Blowout of Hawks to Reach East Semis.
