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'Inside the NBA' crew blasts Victor Wembanyama: 'Probably been a long time since he got his a— kicked like this'

'Inside the NBA' crew blasts Victor Wembanyama: 'Probably been a long time since he got his a— kicked like this' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Victor Wembanyama endured a turgid first half in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

The French phenom struggled mightily in the Spurs' series opener against the Knicks, missing 15 of 21 shots as San Antonio fell.

His struggles continued early Friday night. Wembanyama was virtually invisible through the game's opening two quarters, failing to make much of a mark despite his imposing frame. With Karl-Anthony Towns feeling it for New York, San Antonio found itself in dire straits by the end of the first half.

"Inside the NBA" was attuned to Wembanyama's struggles. Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith expressed dismay over the 22-year-old's first-half outing, leading to several viral clips.

Here's what you need to know.

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What did the 'Inside the NBA' Crew say about Victor Wembanyama?

Barkley offered a scathing critique of Wembanyama's first half performance. The Spurs big attempted just four shots in the opening 24 minutes of Game 2, struggling to affect the game on the offensive end of the floor.

His defense toiled as the half wore on, as well, with Towns erupting for a game-high 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists to help New York turn a nine-point first-quarter deficit into a four-point lead at the halftime break.

Barkley claimed that Wembanyama was "in shock" over Towns' impressive showcase.

"It's probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this," Barkley said.

Barkley cited Wembanyama's turnovers and general lack of offensive impact a evidence of his purportedly fragile mindset.

"He's so flustered right now," Barkley added. "Listen, we can say what we want to, he's 22, he's going to own the league soon. But right now, Big KAT is just taking his ass to the wood shed, plain and simple."

Barkley wasn't alone in his assessment. O'Neal questioned Wembanyama's energy and aggression, leading to a lively chat between him and his co-hosts.

"I thought he was going to come out with a little more aggression," O'Neal said. "He didn't take his first shot until the first four minutes of the game.

"He's not showing me anything right now. I'm actually surprised."

Smith offered the most bizarre analogy for Wembanyama's first-half outing, comparing the league's first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year...to former Magic guard Nick Anderson. Anderson famously missed four last-second free throws in Game 1 of the 1995 Finals, a series Smith and the Rockets would win in a sweep.

"KAT has him in shock. That's it," Smith said. "A great player is in shock. Nick Anderson was a great player at that time. He became in shock."

Will the "Inside the NBA" crew's remarks about Wembanyama ring true in the second half? You be the judge. Suffice to say, though, Barkley, O'Neal and Smith didn't expect the Frenchman to struggle as much as he did in the first half.

Victor Wembanyama Game 2 stats

Points: 14
Rebounds: 7
Assists: 2
Steals: 2
Blocks: 2
FG: 5-9
3PT: 0-3
FT: 4-7

How have Knicks frustrated Victor Wembanyama?

Wembanyama spent much of the first half matched up against Towns, a player he towers over but who has a clear advantage in size and strength. Mike Brown's decision to lean on Towns worked wonders in Game 1. It continued to pay dividends in Game 2, with Towns using his stout frame to disrupt Wembanyama's rhythm whenever he tried to post up.

That strength was evident on the offensive end, as well. Towns showed no fear attacking Wembanyama in the paint, even throwing down a dunk over the Frenchman's outstretched arm in the second quarter.

Sprinkle in some precise passing and his typically smooth shot form, and it was easy to see why Towns — and the Knicks — were able to achieve such success against Wemby and Co. in the first half.

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