The New York Knicks looked vulnerable after the first three games of their first round series against the Atlanta Hawks.

CJ McCollum had delivered two clutch performances in a pair of one-point wins, allowing Atlanta to grab a 2–1 series lead. For a team like New York that came into the postseason hoping to build on years of steady progress, this was the type of genuine adversity that could have rocked an entire franchise. However, these gritty Knicks responded with the kind of three-game stretch that not only changes the tone of a series, but signals to the rest of the league that they are legitimate title contenders.

New York won the next three games by an average of 32 points, turning what had been a tense first-round matchup into a statement. The exclamation point came in Game 6 at Atlanta, when the Knicks demolished the Hawks, 140–89, in the largest playoff win in franchise history. Atlanta briefly led by two early on, but New York rallied to close the first quarter up 25 and entered halftime with an NBA playoff-record 47-point lead. At one point in the third quarter, the margin reached a high of 61.

It was as complete a closeout performance as the Knicks could have hoped for.

Karl-Anthony Towns was once again the hub of New York’s offense, recording his second triple-double in three games after having never posted one in the playoffs before this series. In Game 4, he finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. In Game 6, he added 12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, and a block. His ability to facilitate as their center has given New York’s offense a different texture and makes the Knicks far less predictable for opponents.

OG Anunoby’s hot shooting early on helped bury Atlanta. He finished Game 6 with 29 points, seven rebounds, two assists, four steals, and a block, matching his scoring high for the series. By the 4:39 mark of the second quarter, Anunoby had already outscored the Hawks by himself, completing a three-point play to push his total to 24 while Atlanta had only 22 as a team. He ended up scoring 26 of his 29 points in the first half and shot 10-of-12 before halftime.

Mikal Bridges also picked the right time to break out of his slump. After scoring zero points in 20 minutes in New York’s Game 3 loss, he bounced back in Game 6 with 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting. Jalen Brunson provided a steady contribution too, finishing with 17 points, two rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.

That balance is what should encourage New York and its loyal fanbase the most.

The Knicks now advance to the second round, where they face either the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers who will be facing off in a Game 7. Neither matchup will be easy. Boston has a championship pedigree and Philadelphia is as complete as it has been all season long. 

If Towns continues to anchor the offense this way, and if Anunoby and Bridges can remain this aggressive, New York should like its chances against any team. The Knicks are humming on all cylinders and the hope is that this historic victory is only the beginning of a potential championship run.