Gregg Popovich, before the first game of San Antonio Spurs regular season, gave a unique response when asked if he had a restful night’s sleep the night before.

“It was really weird,” the coach said.

Maybe some jitters from the first game? Certainly not.

Not for a coach with 29 consecutive years at the helm of the San Antonio franchise, and especially not for someone as nonchalant as him.

But throw a false fire alarm and a forced evacuation just after midnight into the mix? Suddenly, it made a little more sense.

The visiting Dallas hotel that was hosting the Spurs for the night explained that a maintenance worker — a painter — may have caused the accident. That they must have tripped her while they were working on a wall.

Neither Popovich nor Jeremy Sochan, who took to Instagram to document the event and blame it on a Mavericks fan, bought it.

“Do you have painters at midnight?” Popovich asked. “It’s kind of weird.”

READ MORE: The Spurs were on fire from 3, but find some silver linings

As strange as it was, the Spurs moved on pretty quickly. No investigation required. Instead, they shifted their focus back to securing what they hoped would be a road upset over Luka Dončić and the Mavericks.

But the ordeal was the first test of the year.

And he wasn’t the only one.

Victor Wembanyama, sipping water from a small black water bottle throughout his media availability, acknowledged the performance he showed in Game 1.

He had 17 points and nine rebounds on the night — nearly a double-double — but despite the strong numbers, it was how he achieved them that explained his struggles. Wembanyama was 5-for-18 from the field, had four turnovers and just never found his rhythm.

“If I’m not on the beat, I’m going to miss,” he said simply.

That was obvious. Some of the struggles have been attributed to conditioning, as the NBA sophomore hasn’t played a full game since losing the gold medal game against Team USA in Paris, which was recently compared to some of his peers no Olympic experience.

That wasn’t used as an excuse, but it certainly helped.

“We have different weapons that we have to know when to use them,” Wembanyama said. “It’s about getting used to hitting shots in the game … hitting shots in rhythm.”

READ MORE: Gregg Popovich upbeat despite opener loss

So what’s next for Spurs’ young star? The initial performance of what was expected to be a better year for San Antonio was not up to par and actually came from the star himself.

It may have been a troubling realization. For some, at least.

“I didn’t see that he was fit or in shape,” Popovich said. “I didn’t feel that … (I thought) it was good.”

The silver linings, though many of them were individualistic – meaning Julian Champagnie’s strong outing, Harrison Barnes’ fall and Sochan’s comfort – shone through. The addition of two bona fide veterans appeared to make a difference, too, as Spurs made a comeback bid that would have been watched last season.

“There are no moral victories, but we played with a team that went to the NBA Finals,” Chris Paul said. “I’m honestly excited about the explosions we’ve seen and what I know our team is capable of.”

Through it all, Wembanyama kept his poise. He may have struggled on the floor, but he admitted it. In fact, he is one of the players with the most to learn.

He’s talented, as is Spurs’ entire young core, but Thursday night was a necessary teach-in moment. There was no game plan, as Popovich explained, but it was battle. Mistakes, too.

That and a feeling that maybe San Antonio wasn’t that long ago

“It was the first game of the season,” Wembanyama said before giving his assessment of Dallas. “We didn’t see anything special from them… both teams were trying to get used to playing again.”

READ MORE: Wembanyama stars in the season 3 premiere of “Hero Ball.”

So what’s next?

First, Spurs can hope there will be no more fire drills on the road – although even that has given them a moment to tackle together. Wembanyama struggled, yes, but so did at the start of last season.

And this time, neither he nor his colleagues will need so much time to regroup.

“We’re playing loose, playing with confidence and our instincts,” Barnes said. “It’s something that we as a group are growing into.”

Despite the loss, the Spurs can take solace in the growth they have shown. The fact that they now have a base to improve on.

And that their star does not take well with poor performances.

“One or two games,” said Wembanyama when asked about how soon he will be back to full fitness. “It should be quick.”

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