Groans and moans of “Here we go again!” echoed throughout the New York Knicks fandom on Tuesday night as Karl-Anthony Towns picked up his second foul just minutes into the game.

It’s a story we all know too well.

Towns’ mannerisms are exaggerated at his size. He also has a tendency to hook under opponents arms while driving, which has a 99% foul call rate, seemingly.

Andre Drummond replaced him and put on a first-half show for the Madison Square Garden crowd while Towns was riding the pine. He played nearly 12 straight minutes in the first half, which had cascading effects for the Knicks in the second half.

Drummond was burnt out, and it all seemed so avoidable in hindsight.

Head coach Mike Brown talked about Towns’ foul trouble with reporters on Thursday after practice:

“He’s a good enough player, to where he doesn’t need to look for and/or try to draw the foul,” Brown said on October 22. “Just make the basket. Some guys I say, try to get fouled here…no, no, no. KAT you’re a freaking perennial All-Star, just make the bucket. And if he happens to foul you, then great. When you do those types of things, it shortens your opportunity to pick up a foul when you’re boxing out, or when you’re trying to get a rebound. So, that’s the stuff we want to try to eliminate from his game.”

Brown and Towns’ relationship has been the subject of many a think-piece, including one from me that I’ll humbly link here.

When they’re on the same page, New York is a better ball club.

Towns understands what’s being asked of him. He spoke with the media after Brown and told reporters his focus is being available for the Knicks:

“Obviously, I never want to put my team in that kind of position,” Towns told reporters. “So I just have to do a better job, especially not only in the regular season, but in the postseason, to make sure I’m available for my team.”

There’s no doubt Towns’ foul trouble helped the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. But has it hindered the Knicks in the wins column?

The stats say yes. New York was 2-5 last season in games Towns fouled out, and 2-6 in games where he was called for five.

Officiating has it’s say in this argument, referees make mistakes aplenty. But a 4-11 record in those games isn’t nothing, either.

Friday night’s game against the Boston Celtics should be a good opportunity for Towns to play some clean basketball, facing off against Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm EST.