Knicks Star Owns Up to Foul Problem

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns has been a late addition to the NBA’s naughty list this year.

Amidst the Knicks’ active six-game winning streak, one that continued on Friday in Orlando, Towns owned up to his festering foul problem. Towns has been charged with at least four fouls in each of the last four games and 11 of the past 14, which have placed him on a subtle minutes restriction amidst the recent success.

“Let’s start with the man in the mirror,” Towns said of the foul trouble, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Maybe I’ve got to make better decisions. I give up possibly one to two [bad fouls]. So do my job first. Take out the ones that I can handle.”

Towns was charged with three in the first half of Friday’s game and picked up a fourth early in the third. Similar woes relegated him to the bench during Victor Wembanyama’s visit on Christmas Day. Towns has played less than 30 minutes in two of the last four games after doing so only five times in the first 27. The holiday instance brought about the end of Towns’ streak of consecutive double-doubles at 18.

Fortunately for Towns, the Knicks (21-10) have had several big talents step up in his absence: Josh Hart has been particularly impactful, and New York has basked in the return of Precious Achiuwa, who had 10 rebounds in 20 minutes during Wednesday’s Christmas activities.

There’s no denying, however, that the Knicks are a better team when Towns is on the floor: his averaged plus/minus of 6.9 is good for 11th among Association participants averaging at least 30 minutes a game.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau, never one to keep officiating issues to himself, challenged Towns with rediscovering his sense of discipline as the Knicks head into the new year.

“Discipline is the most important thing,” Thibodeau said, per Bondy. “We want the contact but we also want it to be done with intelligence. It’s a big part of physicality, it’s a big part of winning.”

“What are the officials looking for? He’s been around long enough to know there are things they’re looking for that trigger calls. So, be disciplined. The verticality being one of them, setting screens being the other.”

Towns has an instant opportunity to show what he has learned on Saturday night when the Knicks play the first of a couple against the Washington Wizards (7 p.m. ET, MSG).

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