ATLANTA — Prior to the Knicks’ game Wednesday night, Tom Thibodeau said it was important for his team not to go on break before actually reaching the All-Star break.

It wasn’t the first time his players had heard that line over the previous 48 hours.

“Once, or twice,” Jalen Brunson said with a smile, before pausing for effect. “A lot.”

The message was received, loud and clear.

The Knicks started fast and never let their foot off the gas, and as a result they’re heading into the All-Star break on a roll after a one-sided 122-101 victory over the Hawks at State Farm Arena.

Now, the Knicks (33-27) will go their separate ways and head into a nine-day layoff not only having won five of their last six games, but also in sole possession of the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and with defensive linchpin Mitchell Robinson nearing his return from a fractured right thumb.

“Vibes are smooth for sure,” All-Star Julius Randle said.

There were smiling Knicks everywhere after their third straight win. A jubilant and shirtless Randle gave Brunson a big hug as he interrupted his postgame television interview. Brunson and RJ Barrett traded barbs about their respective universities, Villanova and Duke.

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Thibodeau, downright giddy (for him at least) in his postgame press conference, joked with Randle’s son, Kyden, that he wanted his father to play defense in the All-Star game.

“That ain’t happening,” Randle said.

There was a lot to be happy with. The big two of Brunson and Randle were fantastic. Brunson scored 28 points along with five assists and Randle finished with 25 points, while the two combined for 20 rebounds.

The bench remained a strength, producing 44 points as newcomer Josh Hart (13 points) scored in double figures for the third straight game, Immanuel Quickley added 14 points and Isaiah Hartenstein was a force in the paint, notching six points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

It was a complete performance. The Knicks, now a season-high-equaling six games over .500, outrebounded the Hawks 55-40, held them to 5-for-26 shooting from 3-point range and kept Atlanta’s dynamic backcourt duo of Trae Young (19 points) and Dejounte Murray (six points) in check in a combined 7-for-26 shooting performance. At the final horn, the large contingent of Knicks fans saluted the performance with a loud ovation.

“Once we got the lead, I thought we did a lot of good things on both sides of the ball,” Thibodeau said. “We played tough and we played smart, and I thought we played together.”

Said Barrett, who scored 17 points: “Having lost to them twice, everything matters at the end with conference play. It was a very big win for us, especially knowing that they’re behind us.”

It was a vastly different performance from the last time the Knicks were in this arena, on Jan. 20, when they were shredded, allowing the Hawks to score 139 points on 56 percent shooting in a 15-point loss two days after Robinson fractured his thumb. The Knicks are in a very different place now, heading into the break looking every bit like a playoff team. Over the last 12 games, they have faced eight teams with winning records, and have gone 8-4.

“I think we’ve steadily improved, but we know there’s a long way to go, and the challenge will become greater after the break,” Thibodeau said. “So, we can’t feel too good about ourselves. … We have to keep building. And if we keep the focus on the right place, good things are gonna happen.”