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It was a historic night for the Knicks in more ways than one.
New York took it to the Hawks in Game 6 of their first-round series on Thursday night, but the way they did it was unprecedented as the Knicks set multiple postseason records in their 140-89 win.
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The Knicks’ 140 points are the most in a postseason game in franchise history, but the dominating performance goes beyond that. New York built the largest halftime lead in NBA Playoff history (47) and then had the biggest lead in a playoff game in the play-by-play era (61).
And the coaches and players of the Knicks would tell you, it happened on both ends of the floor.
“We had to keep them off the glass and keep them off transition,” coach Mike Brown said of the game. “Our guys did a good job of that tonight. Eight fastbreak points, 11 offensive rebounds…14 second chance points. It’s a good night for the two key areas we’ve been talking about the whole series.”
“Most importantly, it shows us what we’re capable of defensively,” Jalen Brunson said of the performance. “I think that’s really important. We still have a long road to travel and staying locked in, and knowing what we’re capable of is important.”
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The Knicks defense held Atlanta to 38 percent shooting (26 percent from three) for the game, collecting 16 steals, six blocks and forcing 19 turnovers in the process.
What got the Knicks started was a terrific first quarter. They outscored the Hawks 40-15, shooting 70 percent from the field compared to Atlanta’s 38 percent, but that defensive intensity shone. They forced eight turnovers and stole seven passes.
It was a type of play you see from a team that is trying to stave off elimination, not look to clinch a series. But that’s what made Thursday night effective for the Knicks, they utilized that “desperate” mindset early on.
“Our mindset is to go out there and play desperate,” Mikal Bridges said. “They’re a really good team, good coach and couldn’t let them get confidence, especially at home. Go out there and play desperate.”
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“Everybody was locked in on the task at hand,” Josh Hart said of the start. “We were…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/knicks-desperate-mindset-nba-playoff-034651577.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-01 03:46:00
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