Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks have a problem on their hands, and it's one that could derail their playoff run if they don't fix it fast. Foul trouble. In Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers, it limited Towns to just nine minutes in the first half—a dangerous situation for any team, let alone one facing a crafty guard like Tyrese Maxey.

Somehow, the Knicks managed to escape with a 108-102 win, taking a commanding 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. But head coach Mike Brown knows they can't keep relying on luck. "We can't put ourselves in the position to put the whistle in the referees' hands," Brown said ahead of Wednesday night's game. "We gotta do a better job of leading with our chest and showing our hands."

The foul trouble started early for Towns. He picked up his second foul with 4:29 left in the first quarter of Game 2. He returned to start the second quarter, a crucial stretch when the Knicks need him to run the show while Jalen Brunson rests. But just 46 seconds into the quarter, Towns got caught on a switch and foolishly stuck out his right leg, bumping Maxey and earning his third foul. Back to the bench he went for the rest of the half.

It wasn't just Towns. Reserve big man Ariel Hukporti picked up three fouls in less than four minutes of action in the first quarter. And with Mitchell Robinson out due to illness, the Knicks were already shorthanded in the frontcourt. The pressure was on.

Towns knows he has to adjust. "I don't want to lose my physicality," he said after the win, "but I need to be more disciplined. I don't want to put my team in that position again."

For Brown, the solution is simple: everyone has to do a better job, especially against a player like Maxey. "He's one of the quickest guys in the league with the basketball," Brown said. "When he sees an angle, he's going at you a hundred miles an hour. You turn to run stride for stride, and he'll stop on a dime. It's tough to guard."

So as the Knicks head to Philadelphia for Game 3, the message is clear: stay disciplined, keep your hands up, and lead with your chest. Because against a player like Maxey, one wrong move can send your star to the bench—and your team into trouble.