Victor Wembanyama's first appearance in the NBA Finals did not unfold as many fans had envisioned.Victor Wembanyama's first appearance in the NBA Finals did not unfold as many fans had envisioned. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)The San Antonio Spurs fell to the New York Knicks in Game 1, with Wembanyama enduring a challenging shooting night despite leading his team with 26 points.The 7-foot-4 center connected on just 6 of his 21 field-goal attempts and also committed six turnovers. The Knicks’ defensive adjustments proved effective after halftime, making it increasingly difficult for him to find rhythm and operate comfortably on offense.With Game 2 of the NBA Finals set for Friday, June 5, attention has shifted to concerns surrounding Victor Wembanyama's performance in the series opener.NBA pundits sound alarm on WembanyamaA few NBA analysts observed that the French star appeared to lose momentum as Game 1 wore on, with his impact and energy levels seemingly declining during the later stages of the contest.“Wemby looked tired,” Bill Simmons said on The Ringer, while noting that the reason behind the apparent drop-off remains unclear. Simmons stressed that there is no definitive indication whether it was related to an injury, fatigue, or another issue.“I don’t know if he shot his wad in the first half or what happened, but I just, I don’t know what the answer is,” Simmons added.ESPN journalist Brian Windhorst also pointed to what he described as Wembanyama's “low energy level” during Game 1, adding to the growing discussion among analysts about the Spurs star's performance and physical condition in the NBA Finals opener.“He might deny it, but I felt Victor Wembanyama was low on energy from the first quarter,” the ESPN journalist said.Also read: Spurs vs Knicks Game 1 ends in court invasion arrest; lifetime NBA ban after selfie attempt with Victor WembanyamaHe also acknowledged that players can sometimes struggle under the immense pressure of a high-stakes Finals game, but noted that Wembanyama never seemed to find a consistent rhythm throughout the contest.“Now I know the game started out frenetic. I know when the stakes are high, you sometimes see players need their second wind. I saw Victor bending over and grabbing his shorts midway through the first quarter, and I didn’t think he was able to maintain a good energy flow for most of the game,” Windhorst explained.Former NBA coach Doc Rivers offered a different perspective on Wembanyama's Game 1 struggles, suggesting that the Spurs star may have had the ball in his hands too often throughout Wednesday night's contest.Ex-NBA coach identifies issue“The other thing is time of possession. How often did he hold the ball and have the ball in his hands? It, it looked like way more than usual. Yeah. And so I think that played right into the Knicks’ hands,” the ex-NBA coach remarked.Also read: NBA Finals 2026: Will Mbappe, France World Cup Squad be at Victor Wembanyama’s showdown vs Knicks?However, the San Antonio Spurs found themselves facing adversity on several occasions during the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder before ultimately emerging victorious.With that in mind, it would be premature to read too much into one difficult outing, as Victor Wembanyama could very well respond with a dominant performance when the series shifts to Game 2 of the NBA Finals.