New York Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns has quietly been excellent during the Eastern Conference Finals, averaging 25.4 points and 11.8 rebounds while shooting 42.3 percent from behind the 3-point line through five games. But his defensive lapses and bad habit of getting into foul trouble have diverted some attention away from his stout production. NBA legend Charles Barkley specifically addressed the latter.

He did not hold much back. “Why do you be getting them dumb fouls?” the TNT analyst asked Towns on “Inside the NBA,” following the Knicks' 111-94 victory versus the Indiana Pacers. No. 32 did not have a clear explanation for the issue, instead pointing to The Man Above.

“God only knows,” Towns said before chuckling. He did take accountability and acknowledged how his occasional recklessness hurts the squad. Now, the three-time All-NBA Third-Team selection must clean it up for Saturday night's Game 6, otherwise he and the Knicks could fall short of a long-awaited NBA Finals appearance.

Towns racked up 3.5 fouls per game during the regular season, but that number has increased to 4.3 during the playoffs. He got called for five in Game 5, the second time that has happened in the series. The 29-year-old, who totaled 24 points and 13 boards in the win, is far too impactful to take himself off the court with imprudent decisions on defense. New York as a unit must embody discipline if it is going to return to Madison Square Garden for a possible Game 7.

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It will take composure and cohesion for the Knicks to survive once more

The Knicks continue to suffer self-inflicted wounds, allowing the Pacers to produce a sizable chunk of offense due to their own sloppiness. They conceded 20 points off 15 turnovers, a big problem that the team is unlikely to overcome if it happens again in Gainbridge Fieldhouse this weekend.

Indy definitely deserves significant credit for forcing those mistakes, but New York head coach Tom Thibodeau must get his guys organized and ready to play a clean brand of basketball before another must-win matchup. Karl-Anthony Towns had a team-high four turnovers on this night.

If he can buckle down moving forward, then his stellar offensive skill set should shine even brighter on the hardwood. Towns has splendidly responded to constructive criticism in the past, and he needs to do so again in Game 6.