ATLANTA (Interstat) — The New York Knicks punched their ticket to the next round of the NBA playoffs Thursday night, dismantling the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 at State Farm Arena to win the best-of-seven series four games to two.

The Knicks, who entered the game holding a 3-2 series lead, never gave the Hawks a chance. New York erupted for 40 points in the first quarter while holding Atlanta to just 15, building a lead that swelled to 47 points by halftime. The 51-point margin of victory was the largest of the series and one of the most lopsided playoff wins in franchise history.

From the opening tip, the Knicks established an intensity that the Hawks could not match. Forward OG Anunoby set the tone early, scoring on a dunk off a feed from Jalen Brunson less than two minutes into the game. Brunson then buried a 25-foot 3-pointer, and the Knicks were off. Anunoby knocked down two more 3-pointers in the first quarter, part of a 10-point outburst that helped New York race to a 40-15 lead after 12 minutes.

The Knicks shot nearly 60 percent from the floor in the first half, while the Hawks struggled to find any rhythm. Atlanta’s offense was disjointed, committing turnovers on three consecutive possessions at one point in the opening quarter. Guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a particularly rough stretch, throwing away a pass that was stolen by Brunson and later losing the ball out of bounds.

New York’s defense was equally suffocating. Center Karl-Anthony Towns blocked a layup attempt by Dyson Daniels and grabbed rebounds at both ends. Anunoby added two steals in the first quarter alone, igniting fast-break opportunities.

The Knicks continued their onslaught in the second quarter. Anunoby sank another 3-pointer early in the period, and reserve guard Jose Alvarado, who entered the game for Brunson, immediately made an impact with a steal and an assist on an Anunoby triple. The lead grew past 30 midway through the quarter.

Tensions boiled over with 4:39 remaining in the first half. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and Hawks guard Dyson Daniels were involved in a scuffle and both were ejected after receiving double technical fouls. The exchange briefly energized the Hawks, who trimmed the deficit slightly, but New York answered with a 7-0 run capped by an alley-oop dunk from Robinson to push the lead back to 83-36 at halftime.

The third quarter was more of the same. Mikal Bridges scored eight quick points, including a running pullup jumper and a dunk, and Josh Hart added a 3-pointer. The Knicks stretched their lead to as many as 54 points late in the third, allowing coach Tom Thibodeau to empty his bench for the entire fourth quarter.

Atlanta never mounted a serious threat. Forward Jalen Johnson led the Hawks with 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting, but he received little help. Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with 13 points, and Onyeka Okongwu added 10 points and seven rebounds. The Hawks shot just 38 percent from the field and missed 27 of their 34 3-point attempts.

For New York, Anunoby was the engine of the win. The 6-foot-7 forward scored 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 5 of 6 from beyond the arc, and added seven rebounds, four steals and two assists. He was a plus-37 in 27 minutes.

Center Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, making 10 of 12 free throws. Guard Jalen Brunson contributed 16 points and nine assists, directing the offense with precision. Mikal Bridges added 16 points and five rebounds, while Josh Hart chipped in 12 points and nine boards.

The series had been a tightly contested affair through the first five games. The Hawks won Game 1 at home in overtime, 109-108, and took Game 4 in New York, 107-106, to even the series at 2-2. The Knicks won Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, 126-97, to take a 3-2 lead heading into Thursday. This was the third time the two teams met in the playoffs since 2023, with New York winning two of those series.

The Knicks improved their season record to 58-32, while Atlanta finished at 48-40. New York now awaits the winner of the other Eastern Conference first-round series.

The most critical stretch of the game came in the first quarter, when the Knicks outscored the Hawks 40-15. That 25-point advantage set the tone for the rout. New York’s 83 points in the first half were a franchise playoff record for points in a half, and the 47-point halftime lead was the largest in an NBA playoff game since 2015.

New York shot 54 percent from the floor for the game, including 15 of 34 from 3-point range, and made 23 of 28 free throws. Atlanta shot 38 percent, made only 7 of 34 from deep, and hit 18 of 23 foul shots.

The attendance was announced at 17,685.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Atlanta 119, New York 111. Interstat’s ELO system gave New York a 57 percent probability to win. New York entered as a 1.5-point favorite; the total of 229 points went over the over-under line of 213.5.