Is it time for Thunder to hit the panic button? - USA TODAY

By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY

Updated

MIAMI â€" Issues, issues … so many issues for the suddenly-not-so-OK Oklahoma City Thunder.

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  By Derick E. Hingle, US Presswire

  Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks looks on during practice for Game 4 on Monday at American Airlines Arena in Miami.

By Derick E. Hingle, US Presswire

Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks looks on during practice for Game 4 on Monday at American Airlines Arena in Miami.

The NBA's best free-throw shooting team during the regular season can't hit the broad side of an Oklahoma oil derrick. Kevin Durant can't stay out of foul trouble. The Thunder are getting pole-axed in the paint.

Then there's the team's mercurial backcourt magician with attitude: Russell Westbrook. As teammate Kendrick Perkins says, "He just has this attitude that it's 'me against the world.'"

• MORE: Thunder can't afford to play soft in paint

Time to panic?

Not really. Coach Scott Brooks, Mr. Equilibrium, tried to calm his young team Monday, one day after losing 91-85 to the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Thunder could have, and maybe should have, won. A loss has left them trailing the series 2-1 and in a precarious position, with the next two games in Miami.

Super-sub James Harden says Game 4 tonight is tantamount to "Game 7" for Oklahoma City.

"Our backs are against the wall, but we're fighters," Harden said.

Center Kendrick Perkins says Game 4 is "a must win."

"We win (today), now it's the best of three with two games on our home court," Perkins said.

Thunder players say Brooks remained upbeat and positive about the team's chances of claiming the first NBA title for Oklahoma City, despite the odds that 85% of teams winning Game 3 win the Finals. The Thunder face a highly motivated, determined and, yes, desperate Miami team that lost the Finals a year ago.

Brooks stressed needed areas of improvement: Reducing turnovers (the Thunder had six in the fourth quarter); eliminating silly fouls and finding their stroke at the free-throw line (nine misses).

To a man, however, the players said they also needed to be more physical.

"Absolutely," Perkins said. "We can't let LeBron (James) just do what he does. We've got to take on the challenge from everybody and play more physical."

Said Harden: "I think we were physical last game but I think we can take it to another level as far as bumping them off their cuts. They're getting to the lane so easily for easy layups."

Forward Serge Ibaka, who led the NBA in blocked shots, agreed: "They're more physical than us. We need to keep up."

Then again, to hear Westbrook talk, the Thunder believe the series should be 3-0 â€" in their favor.

"We felt we let two games get away," he said. "We honestly felt we had an opportunity to win both" Games 2 and 3.

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