INDIANAPOLIS — This was Charles Barkley, Esq., arguing for the prosecution.

“I’ve got to say something right now, I’ve got to criticize you,” Sir Charles said, sitting on a chair just to Karl-Anthony Towns’ right, postgame at Madison Square Garden Thursday night with the rest of the TNT studio crew, their tenure at the network extended at least two more days. “Why do you [get] those dumb fouls?”

Shaquille O’Neal, Barkley’s co-counsel, sitting second chair, added: “I was going to ask the same question.”

Barkley: “Why do you do that?”