NEW YORK (Interstat) — Jalen Brunson scored 39 points, falling just short of his own franchise record for 40-point playoff games, and the New York Knicks routed the Atlanta Hawks 126-97 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Playing before a sellout crowd of 19,812 at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks turned a close contest into a blowout with a dominant first quarter and never let the lead dip below double digits in the second half. New York’s second straight lopsided victory put the Knicks on the brink of advancing, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday night in Atlanta.

The Hawks, who had taken a 2-1 series lead with back-to-back one-point wins at home in Games 2 and 3, could not replicate the tight, physical style that had worked earlier. The gap between the teams grew quickly. After trailing by 13 after one quarter and by 16 at halftime, Atlanta never mounted a serious challenge in the final two periods.

New York shot 45 of 79 from the floor for 57 percent, while Atlanta hit 37 of 83 for 44.6 percent. The Knicks dominated at the free-throw line, making 25 of 34 attempts compared to 10 of 17 for the Hawks. New York also held a 36-32 rebounding edge and blocked six shots against two for Atlanta.

Brunson played 35 minutes and added three rebounds and eight assists. He scored 12 points in the first quarter, helping the Knicks race to a 35-22 lead, and continued to attack the basket throughout. His scoring total was the highest by any player in the series this postseason and marked his fourth game of at least 26 points in five meetings against Atlanta in the playoffs.

Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 16 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for the Knicks, anchoring the interior on both ends. He also blocked two shots and shot 5 of 9 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. OG Anunoby added 17 points and 10 rebounds, including three 3-pointers, and supplied steady defense.

Josh Hart chipped in nine points, five rebounds and four assists, while Jose Alvarado provided a spark off the bench with 12 points, two rebounds and a block in just 12 minutes. Alvarado made two 3-pointers and converted all four of his free throws.

For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson led the way with 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, but he struggled with efficiency, shooting 7 of 18 from the field. Onyeka Okongwu had 16 points, five rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes, and Dyson Daniels scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, adding two rebounds and five assists.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker also scored 16 points for the Hawks, hitting four 3-pointers, and Jonathan Kuminga gave Atlanta 13 points off the bench. But the Hawks could not generate enough stops or keep pace with New York’s balanced attack.

The game turned decisively in the opening minutes. After Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels hit a tip shot to give the Hawks a brief lead, the Knicks answered with a 10-0 run. Brunson scored on a floater, Josh Hart hit a 3-pointer, and Anunoby converted three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt. By the time the first quarter ended, New York led by 13 and had already built a 35-22 advantage.

The Hawks trimmed the margin slightly in the second quarter, cutting it to 10 points on a 3-pointer by Alexander-Walker with 2:53 left in the half. But Brunson answered with a driving layup, and the Knicks took a 64-48 lead into the locker room.

Atlanta showed signs of life early in the third quarter. Okongwu hit a 3-pointer and Daniels scored on a floater, pulling the Hawks within 67-63 with 9:55 remaining in the period. But New York responded with a 13-4 run, highlighted by consecutive 3-pointers from Anunoby and a driving dunk from Mikal Bridges. The Knicks’ lead swelled to 83-69, and they carried a 90-72 advantage into the fourth quarter.

The most important stretch came early in the fourth quarter. After the Hawks cut the deficit to 96-94 on a layup by Okongwu with 9:38 left, Brunson took over. He drew a shooting foul on a 3-point attempt and made all three free throws to push the lead to five. Then, with the Knicks leading 101-96, Brunson drilled a 29-foot 3-pointer with 7:31 remaining to make it 104-96. The shot ignited the crowd and effectively ended any hopes of an Atlanta comeback.

New York continued to pour it on. Bridges added a 3-pointer, Jordan Clarkson hit a floater, and Anunoby threw down a dunk off a feed from Brunson. By the time Brunson knocked down another 3-pointer with 3:41 left, the lead had ballooned to 116-100, and both teams emptied their benches.

The Knicks finished with an offensive rating of 128.4 points per 100 possessions, compared to 101.0 for the Hawks. New York committed 11 turnovers and forced 10, while the Hawks were whistled for 26 fouls and the Knicks for 23.

Atlanta’s season record dropped to 48-39, while New York improved to 57-32.

The series now shifts back to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday night. The Knicks will have a chance to close out the series, though they would also hold home-court advantage for a potential Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of New York Knicks 118, Atlanta Hawks 106, and the ELO system gave New York a 76.50 percent probability to win. The Knicks were installed as pregame favorites with a spread of minus 6.5 points, and the total score of 223 went under the over-under line of 213.5.