Charles Barkley reveals what Oklahoma City Thunder needs to do to remain in the NBA Finals
Charles Barkley reveals what Oklahoma City Thunder needs to do to remain in the NBA Finals (Image Source: Getty)
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on thin ice as the team lost the third game of the NBA Finals to the Indiana Pacers. The loss brought the game to a 2-1 status, putting the Thunder under immense pressure.
Looking into the situation, sports analyst Charles Barkley, gave his perspective on the matter and warned Thunder that if they do not buckle up in Game 4, they might as well say goodbye to the Championship title. Barkley also mentioned the possibilities of what would happen if the Thunder do not tie the series in the next game.
Charles Barkley shares analysis on how the Thunder can stay in the game
After Game 3 was over, Barkley was spotted in a post-match talk where he gave his analysis on what would happen if the Thunder lost another game in the NBA Finals series. He said,
'Friday night is D-Day.
That's their (OKC Thunder) season. If they get down 3-1, they're not gonna win this series. Now, if they get it to 2-2, they go back to being the favorite. But Friday night is their game.'
The NBA Finals is a best-of-7 series, which can go down to best-of-5 if the Thunder do not tie the next game. After winning Game 2 of the finals series, the Thunder were favored to win Game 3 as well. However, the second half of the game turned the tables as the Thunder defense collapsed, which gave the Pacers an opening and they won the game by 116-107 score.
Barkley also stated how difficult it would be for the Thunder to regroup for the next NBA season if they do not win this one.
"And you know, a lot of people, you don't get to go to the finals and say, we're gonna get back the next year. Look at the Boston Celtics. They probably want to break that team up. Think about it, remember they had KD, Russ, and James. They never got back to the finals again."
It's been 15 years since the Thunder made an appearance in the NBA Finals, and even during their last finale appearance the team had some of the future MVPs like Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. Even after having such strong players, they were unable to win the Championship, post which the said players switched teams and it took more than a decade for the OKC Thunder to climb up to the finals.
Also Read:
Caitlin Clark's viral 'choke' gesture ignites Pacers in NBA Finals – Indiana takes 2-1 lead
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