Biggest blowouts in NBA playoffs: Where Knicks' 51-point domination of Hawks ranks in basketball history

For a few days, it appeared the New York Knicks would have some trouble getting by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. But after Thursday's result, that seemed like ancient history.

After falling behind 2-1 in the series, the Knicks didn't just win the next three games to advance — in the clinching Game 6, New York dominated Atlanta by 51 points. 

With their 140-89 win on Thursday night, which included a 67-13 run, the Knicks approached NBA Playoffs blowout history.

Here's a look at where the Knicks' thumping of the Hawks in Game 6 ranked among the biggest playoff blowouts ever.

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Biggest blowouts in NBA playoffs

New York didn't quite pull off the biggest NBA playoff blowout ever, but the Knicks did come fairly close.

Two games are tied for the widest point margin in an NBA playoff matchup: a 2009 first-round meeting between the Nuggets and Hornets, and a 1956 semifinals matchup between the Lakers and Hawks. Both games had final scores of a 58-point margin.

The Knicks took down the Hawks in Game 6 by 51 points, which is tied with a Thunder-Grizzlies matchup from last year as the sixth-largest blowout in playoff history.

MORE: Breaking down the Knicks' massive win over the Hawks

2009: Nuggets vs. Hornets, 58 points

The more recent game tied for the biggest NBA playoff blowout was in 2009 — on April 27, in Game 4 of a first-round matchup, the Nuggets thrashed the Hornets by 58 points on the road.

Denver, guided by 26 points from Carmelo Anthony, 17 from Chauncey Billups, 14 from Linas Kleiza and 13 from nene, led by 21 points after the first quarter, then 22 by halftime. But it was in the second half where things got out of hand.

The Nuggets held a 27-11 advantage in the third quarter alone, then 33-13 in the fourth quarter. Billups was a team high +39 in plus-minus in the matchup, while Peja Stojakovic was -39 for the Hornets, who shot just 2-for-15 from 3-point range and 31% from the floor.

Denver took a 3-1 series lead, then won the series in Game 5 with a final score of 107-86.

MORE: What's next for Nuggets after first-round loss to Timberwolves?

1956: Lakers vs. Hawks, 58 points

The other 58-point NBA playoff blowout was in 1956, when the Lakers and Hawks met in the Western Division Semifinals. At the time, the Lakers were still playing in Minneapolis, the Hawks were playing in St. Louis, and it was a best-of-three series.

It was in Game 2 on March 19, 1956, that the Lakers dismantled the Hawks, 133-75. Per Basketball Reference, 10 different Lakers players scored at least 10 points, including a team-high 19 from Slater Martin. Bob Pettit led the Hawks with 14 points in the loss.

However, it was St. Louis that wound up winning the series. After taking Game 1, the Hawks bounced back in Game 3 with a 116-115 win to advance.

1973: Lakers vs. Warriors, 56 points

A trip to the NBA Finals was on the line between the Lakers and Warriors in 1973 for the Western Conference Finals. The series, however, would be mostly dominated by the Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West-led Lakers.

After winning both Game 1 and Game 2 of the series, Los Angeles cruised in Game 3 for a 126-7-0 victory on Apr. 21, 1973, playing on the road in Oakland. The Lakers won the third quarter by 20 points and the fourth by 17.

Jim McMillian had a team-high 28 points for the Lakers, while West had 16 points and 11 assists, and Chamberlain posted 12 points, 25 rebounds and eight blocks. For the Warriors, Nate Thurmond's 10 points led the way, and he was the only double-digit scorer for Golden State, which shot 23.3% from the floor.

While the Warriors took Game 4, L.A. closed out the series in Game 5, then went on to lose to the Knicks in the Finals.

MORE: Why Mitchell Robinson, Dyson Daniels were ejected in Knicks vs. Hawks

2025: Cavaliers vs. Heat, 55 points

The largest playoff blowout of the past decade came in 2025, when the Cavaliers and Heat met in the first round of the Eastern Conference bracket.

Cleveland would sweep the series, including multiple blowouts. Not only did the Cavaliers take Game 3 by a final score of 124-87, a 37-point margin, but they closed out the sweep by embarrassing Miami even worse on Apr. 28, 2025.

In Game 4 on the road, the Cavaliers won 138-83, a margin of 55 points that became the largest playoff blowout since 2009. Six different Cavs scored in double-digit points, including a team-high 22 from Donovan Mitchell in just 24 minutes, while Miami shot 36% from the floor and 20.4% from 3-point range.

Cleveland advanced with the win, but lost to the Pacers in the second round.

2015: Bulls vs. Bucks, 54 points

Chicago and Milwaukee met in the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs, and the series did go to six games — but by the end, the Bulls were in full control.

Chicago won each of the first three games in the series, but allowed the Bucks to come crawling back with narrow wins in Games 4 and 5. That's where Milwaukee's comeback effort ended, however.

In Game 6 on Apr. 30, 2015, the Bulls finally closed out the series by dominating the Bucks with a final score of 120-66, a margin of 54 points. At halftime, Chicago was up by 32 points. All five Bulls starters scored in double-digits, including 20 from Mike Dunleavy, 19 from Pau Gasol, 16 from Jimmy Butler and 15 from Derrick Rose.

Meanwhile, not a single Bucks player reached double-digit scoring, including just five points in 15 minutes from a young Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks shot 32.9% from the floor as a team. 

Chicago advanced, but fell to the Cavaliers in the second round.