The New York Knicks delivered one of the most dominant postseason performances in franchise history on Thursday, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 at State Farm Arena in Game 6 of their playoff series. The 51-point margin reached as high as 61 during the contest.
Josh Hart emphasized that the tone was set from the opening tip, pointing to the team’s focus and execution. “I think everybody was locked in on the task at hand. We were locked in,” Hart said.
He added that discipline and preparation were central to the Knicks’ approach. “We were focused on having a great attention to detail and coming out and closing the game out, and that’s kind of how we approached the game from the start.”
Hart described the physical identity New York leaned on throughout the matchup. “We try to just out-tough them,” he said, summing up the team’s mindset in a series where momentum swings had already tested both sides.
The Knicks guard also pointed to Karl-Anthony Towns as a major factor in establishing control early and maintaining it across both halves. “KAT, just the way he came out was huge,” Hart said. “Coming out of halftime with that aggressive mindset to start the second half… he came and set a good tone at the start of both halves.”
New York’s intensity at the start of the game was another key talking point. Hart credited the starters for setting defensive pressure and energy. “The starters were amazing to start the game, blitzing, protecting the rim, having some big blocks. So their energy was huge for us.”
The Knicks’ execution on both ends reflected a complete performance built on consistency rather than bursts. “The physicality, attention to detail, focus on the game plan, all of that was at a very high level,” Hart said.
Despite the historic margin, Hart downplayed long-term significance, stressing the importance of moving forward. “We know we have what it takes to do it. We got to continue to build off of that,” he said.
He also highlighted Mikal Bridges’ efficiency as another key element in the win. “That’s our guy. Whenever he comes out aggressive, that adds another dimension to this team.”
For Hart, the message remained centered on sustainability. “We have to continue to build,” he said. “We can’t sit there and not do it because we know we have what it takes.”
