On Thursday night, in Game 6 of their series with Atlanta, the Knicks were 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.
Historic Halftime Performance
The Knicks entered the locker room leading 83–36, a 47-point advantage that bested the previous record of 41 points, which had been achieved twice before.
That previous record was set during Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals when the Cavaliers led the Boston Celtics 72-31 at the break. The Knicks themselves had been 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.
Second-Biggest in NBA History
The lead was so large it tied for the second-biggest in NBA history, regular season or playoffs. The overall record remains the Mavericks' 50-point lead on the Clippers from December 27, 2020. New York tied Golden State's 88-41 lead over the Kings from November 2, 1991.
Key Contributors
Led by OG Anunoby's 26 points and a smothering defense, the Knicks had three players in double figures in the first half. Mikal Bridges scored 16 points while Jalen Brunson added 13.
Perhaps most impressive was the team's efficiency. They shot 65% from the floor (28-for-43), 44% from three-point range (7-for-16), and 91% from the foul line (20-for-22).
Knicks' Dominant Defense
While the margin was the headline, New York also completely shut down the Hawks. Atlanta mustered just 36 points on 39 attempts from the field, while shooting only 31%.
CJ McCollum, who had been a thorn in the Knicks' side during the series, was limited to nine points. Jalen Johnson had 11 and Jonathan Kuminga was limited to three in 12 minutes off the bench.
Third-Most First-Half Points
The Knicks scored 83 points in the first half, 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.
The Knicks' first-half performance was historic on several levels, helping them punch their ticket to the second round.