Charles Barkley warns Thunder after the third game of the Finals

Charles Barkley begged the Thunder to realize the urgency of the situation as they hope to avoid a 1-3 trailing against the Pacers. In Game 2, many commentators believed that the order of the game had been restored after the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers 123-107. The Thunder dominate the entire season and after a heartbreaking first loss, everyone knew they would be back strong. But in Game 3, the Oklahoma City Thunder lost momentum in the fourth quarter, with Tyres Halliburton and his teammates backing up 116-107 to help Indiana lead 2-1 in the series.

1-2 behind does not mean death for the Thunder. After all, they faced the same disadvantage against the Denver Nuggets and eventually reversed and won Games 4 and 5, regaining control of the series. But the NBA Finals is another matter; the bets are higher and the pressure is greater. So, Charles Barkley warned the Thunder that they must win Game 4 or they will face the fate of being eliminated in Game 5.

"Friday night is the final day. That's their season. If they're behind 1-3, they can't win the series. Now, if they tie the score 2-2, they'll be the favorites again. But Friday night is their game. Remember, they have Durant, Westbrook and James [Harden] and never return to the Finals. The Pacers haven't made it to the Finals in 25 years. Man, it's not easy to get here. And every time you get there, that's probably your only chance," Barkley said in the NBA live room after the Thunder's third game loss. The Thunder took 13 years and another reconstruction cycle to return to the NBA Finals. Nothing in the NBA is a foregone conclusion, and Barkley begged the Thunder to recognize the urgency of the situation they are in.

"Friday night means a lot to the organization. It means a lot. [whether team wins Game 4] will win the series, 100 percent," Barkley added. The Thunder are hailed as the strongest team in the league this season, which also brings great expectations for winning the championship. But the higher the expectations, the greater the pressure. The Thunder must exclude all external interference to avoid losing 1-3 to the Pacers.

Although the Thunder may be in a good position for the foreseeable future, as Barkley suggests, nothing is certain in the NBA. Now that they are so close to the championship, they won't want to give up on this opportunity.