Steve Kerr urges Warriors fans to show up early for must-win Game 5

On Thursday night, the Golden State Warriors will be faced with the daunting and unfamiliar task of a must-win game, their first since the 2014 playoffs.

Down 3-1 in the Western Conference finals series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is urging fans to show up early to Oracle Arena — a sacred ground where they have lost just three times all season — before the 9 p.m. ET tip.

"Tomorrow night we face our first must-win game of the season," Kerr wrote Wednesday in a statement shared by the Warriors Twitter account. "We are excited to be back on Warriors ground, playing in front of the best fans in the NBA, and we will do whatever it takes to reach the goal we have been fighting for all season."

"Your energy and passion fuels our fire, from the opening tip to the final buzzer," the 2015-16 Coach of the Year continued. "So we urge Dub Nation to do whatever it takes to be here at Oracle Arena early — long before game time — and help provide the best home court advantage in the league. Doors open at 4 p.m. (PT) and tipoff is at 6 p.m. We can't wait to see you tomorrow afternoon on Warriors Ground. Let's have some fun!"

While this may not be the same brand of "fun" that Warriors fans enjoyed during the team's record-breaking 73-win season, and while battling Oakland traffic in the heart of rush hour for an early arrival at Oracle is much easier said than done, you can expect the sea of gold to be in full effect come game time. The question is: Will that be enough?

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