The New York Knicks closed out the Atlanta Hawks with a dominant 140-89 win on Thursday night at State Farm Arena, securing a 4-2 series victory and producing a performance that included a 61-point lead at its peak.
Mikal Bridges pointed to the tone set early, especially a decisive first-quarter surge. “Yeah, they got to play desperate,” Bridges said, referencing the opening stretch that helped New York build separation. “Another really good team, really well coached, and couldn’t let them get confidence, especially at home. So go out there, play desperate.”
Bridges also highlighted the scale of the performance, noting the historic margin. “Making history tonight with the largest lead at this point,” he said, underscoring how quickly the game tilted in New York’s favor after tipoff.
Defensively, the Knicks controlled the rhythm through collective execution. “Just getting stops, being connected, everybody on a string, and then getting out in transition, offense just flowing, moving, and just playing off one another,” Bridges said.
He credited the team’s defensive consistency and urgency as the foundation for the blowout. “We just have even more sense of urgency, just kept battling through stuff, just keep fighting. Yeah, just doing everything,” he added, describing the multi-layered effort.
Bridges emphasized the all-around impact across the roster, pointing to contributions beyond scoring. “Scoring, defense, rebounding, overtime making plays. He’s doing everything out there and that’s what we need,” he said, highlighting the complete nature of the Knicks’ execution.
He also spoke about the collective mindset and momentum within the group. “Just go do it for those guys with this team,” Bridges said. “We have even more sense of urgency, just kept battling through stuff.”
When asked about similar lopsided playoff experiences, Bridges referenced past experience without hesitation. “Yeah, when I was in Phoenix and I lost,” he said, keeping the comparison brief while acknowledging the contrast in outcome.
The forward also stressed the importance of closing out the series against a strong opponent. “It was great, really important. Really good team and they didn’t want to force game seven and get us,” Bridges said.
New York’s recent stretch has also drawn attention internally, with three straight strong wins forming a notable postseason run. “Just continue to play hard and keep doing what we’re doing, playing as a team, and that’s it,” Bridges said when reflecting on the team’s current level.
The Knicks now advance after a series defined by defensive pressure, early offensive bursts, and sustained physical execution across all four quarters.
