It seems like the New York Knicks have found the answer for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has a rather tough assessment on why the Frenchman is not up to his usual standards in the NBA Finals.

In the first half of Game 2, Wemby had only 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 turnovers. This comes after he shot just 6-of-21 from the field in Game 1.

Charles Barkley and the Inside The NBA crew gave their thoughts on what happened at halftime. Barkley believes that Knicks center Karl Anthony Towns completely outplayed the 7'4" in the first half.

“Wemby’s in shock right now,” Barkley said. “It’s probably been a long time since he got his a** kicked like this. … But right now, big KAT is taking his a** to the woodshed.”

After what was probably the most demanding series against the then-reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Wemby was unstoppable.

Throughout the series, the 22-year-old scored an average of 27.3 points, grabbed 10.9 rebounds, and provided 3.1 assists against the toughest defensive side in the league.

However, that magic seemingly ran out by the time the first half of Game 2 wrapped up. Wemby, usually the Spurs' scoring leader, was limited to just seven points.

Meanwhile, Towns went absolutely ballistic, finishing the half with a game-high 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists to help New York turn a nine-point first-quarter deficit into a four-point lead at the halftime break.

Barkley added that while Wemby will sooner or later be the best player in the league, KAT's experience was the key factor in turning the game around for the Knicks in the first half.

"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 a** to the woodshed, plain and simple."

While the Frenchman managed to turn around his stats in the second half, it was not enough, as the Knicks took a massive 2-0 lead heading into New York.

Victor Wembanyama's Second Half Offense Not Enough for the Win

Wembanyama added 22 points in the second half, finishing with 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists.

While it was an amazing individual response, the Spurs could not keep their cool in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

The game turned in favor of the Knicks when the Frenchman misplaced a pass to Stephon Castle in his own half, which gave the Knicks possession.

As the Knicks take Game 2 105-104, one could only wonder what the Spurs might have done had they finished that extra possession.

At one point, it looked like the Knicks were actually going to be the team on the receiving end of a Spurs comeback after blowing a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Regardless, the Spurs are in real trouble now, as the Knicks will have the opportunity to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

So, do you think the New York Knicks will put the series to bed with a third win, or does Victor Wembanyama have something special in store? Let us know in the comments.

Follow the Air Jordan Chronicles for more NBA Finals coverage!

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Joy Bassy