In Game 2, many pundits believed that there was a restoration of order after the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated proceedings against the Indiana Pacers, taking a 123-107 victory. The Thunder have been dominant all season long, and everyone knew that they were going to come out strong after suffering a heartbreaking Game 1 defeat. But in Game 3, OKC lost steam in the fourth quarter, with Tyrese Haliburton and company running away with a 116-107 win to give Indiana a 2-1 series lead.
Being down 2-1 is not a death sentence for the Thunder. After all, they faced the same deficit against the Denver Nuggets, and they came back to win Games 4 and 5 to regain control of the series. But the NBA Finals is a different beast; the stakes are higher, and the pressure is as crippling as it can be. Thus, Charles Barkley warned the Thunder that they must win Game 4, lest they stare at the face of elimination heading back to Paycom Center for Game 5.
“Friday night is D-day. That’s their season. If they get down 3-1 they’re not gonna win this series. Now if they get it to 2-2, they get back to being the favorite. But Friday night is their game. Remember, they had KD, Russ, and James [Harden] and never got back to the Finals again. The Pacers hadn’t been there in 25 years. Man, it’s hard to get here. And every time you got there, that might be your only chance,” Barkley said on the NBA TV booth following the Thunder’s Game 3 loss.
“If they get down 3-1 they’re not gonna win this series. Now if they get it to 2-2, they get back to being the favorites… Friday night is their game… Friday night is huge for this organization.”
Charles Barkley on the Thunder ahead of Game 4
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It took the Thunder 13 years and another rebuilding cycle for them to make it back to the NBA Finals. Nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, and Barkley implored OKC to recognize the urgency of the situation that they’re in.
“Friday night is huge for this organization. It’s a huge deal. [Whichever team wins Game 4] gonna win the series, 100 percent,” Barkley added.
Thunder look to remain calm under pressure
The Thunder have been lauded as the league’s biggest juggernaut this season, and with that distinction comes the high expectations of winning a championship. But the bigger the expectations are, the greater the pressure is, and OKC will have to shut out all the outside noise as they look to avoid going down 3-1 to the Pacers.
As well-positioned as the Thunder may be to compete for the foreseeable future, nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, as Barkley alluded to. And now that they’re this close to a championship, they’re not going to want to relinquish this opportunity.
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