The Oklahoma City Thunder are staring at a 2-1 deficit in the NBA Finals, despite entering the series as heavy favorites to take care of business against the Indiana Pacers. The expectations was that the Thunder would continue to dominate as they have all year, and win the first championship in franchise history, although they did win one as the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979.

The Thunder's 116–107 loss to the Pacers in Game 3 makes a bounce back during Friday night's Game 4 even more crucial, enough so that Charles Barkley likened the upcoming clash to "D-Day" for Oklahoma City.

"Friday night is D-Day. Friday night is D-Day. That's [the Oklahoma City Thunder's] season. If they get down 3-1, they're not going to win this series. If they get it to 2–2, they go back to being the favorite. But Friday night, it’s their game," Barkley said on NBATV postgame.

Barkley didn't mince words when addressing the significance of Friday's game.

Of course, only one team in NBA Finals history has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit, when the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers stunned the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Losing Game 4 would put the Thunder in an incredibly difficult position heading back to Paycom Center for Game 5.

The Thunder will need to navigate a hostile environment in Game 4 once again, as the crowd Gainbridge Fieldhouse was deafening throughout the night on Wednesday. With the Pacers picking up their second win, the Thunder would also have to return to Indiana for a Game 6 if they're to mount a comeback and win a title.

More NBA Finals on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Charles Barkley Declares Game 4 Is 'D-Day' for the Thunder.

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