Knicks set NBA playoff record with 47-point halftime lead over Hawks

The New York Knicks have set an NBA playoff record by establishing a 47-point halftime lead against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of their first-round series.

Holding their opponents to just 36 points in the opening two quarters on Thursday, the visitors forced 14 turnovers during a ruthless defensive display.

At the other end of the court, the Eastern Conference franchise enjoyed their most productive offensive half of the postseason, shooting over 60% from the field to amass 83 points.

Anunoby outscores entire Atlanta roster

Forward OG Anunoby spearheaded the remarkable scoring surge, finishing the second quarter with 26 points to his name.

At one stage in the contest, the British-born wing had individually registered more points than the entire opposition lineup.

Mikal Bridges also found his rhythm following a difficult start to the series, contributing a crucial 16 points to comfortably surpass his previous high of 11 in Game 1.

Shattering historical postseason benchmarks

Atlanta initially led 11-9 in the opening minutes before suffering a devastating collapse, being outscored by 53 points over the subsequent 18 minutes of action.

The previous playoff benchmark for a halftime advantage stood at 41 points, a milestone jointly held by the 2025 Indiana Pacers and the 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers.

New York remarkably reached that 41-point margin with more than seven minutes remaining in the second quarter.

According to historical data, this represents the fastest any team has built a 40-point advantage in the play-by-play era.

The relentless pressure continued as the lead swelled to 50 points by the 4:39 mark, setting another unprecedented milestone since tracking began in 1998.