Plenty in reserve - Backup players spark Thunder to 1-1 series tie with Mavs

DALLAS (AP):Thunder coach Scott Brooks had a big decision to make. With Game Two of the Western Conference finals on the line, he either had to stick with a lineup of four reserves who were playing well, or switch to the group he usually trusts late in the fourth quarter.

He bet on the backups. And now the series is headed back to Oklahoma City all tied up, thanks to his gutsy call.

James Harden, Eric Maynor, Nick Collison and Daequan Cook teamed with Kevin Durant to build a healthy lead late in the fourth quarter, then made it hold up for a 106-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

"We've always felt confident in the bench," Brooks said. "They really did a good job. But it's always a team effort when you win."

All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook sat alongside Brooks as Maynor guided the Thunder's offence down the stretch. Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins cheered on Collison as he tried to slow Dirk Nowitzki. And while Durant was the lone starter mixed in with the backups, he was their offensive liability - he made two of six shots, compared to nine of 11 for the other guys.

"If you tell me they leave Westbrook out in the whole fourth quarter and we don't get stops to win, that would have been tough," Nowitzki said. "But you have to give Maynor credit. Their reserves came out swinging and really took it to us."

Harden and Durant are part of Brooks' typical crew of closers. Sometimes Collison.

So Maynor and Cook were the exceptions. But there was never really a chance - or a reason - for Brooks to make a change.

never gave up

Oklahoma City went into the fourth quarter leading by one following a four-point play by Harden in the final seconds of the third quarter. The guys who were asked to protect that slim lead never gave it up. They even stretched it to 10 with 3:15 left, following a 14-5 spurt capped by a tough jumper from Harden.

Brooks ended up not making a change until he had to - Collison fouled out with 37 seconds left. Brooks' only other move was taking out Cook for the last 13 seconds.

"You can't mess that chemistry up," Durant said. "Coach made a good decision."

By slowing Nowitzki and the Mavericks down the stretch, the Thunder reserves did something that Kobe Bryant and the Lakers couldn't.

Dallas erased a pair of fourth-quarter deficits during a sweep of the two-time reigning NBA champs last round. Those wins were part of a seven-game streak the Mavs had been riding. They also had been 6-0 at home this post-season.

Like the Eastern Conference finals, this series is essentially starting over. The scene shifts about 200 miles up Interstate 35 for Game Three tonight and Game Four on Monday night. A return trip to Dallas for Game Five on Wednesday night is guaranteed, too.

"It should be fun back at our place," Durant said.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle complained about his defence after Game One, but it seemed like coach-speak, something to gripe about for the sake of griping. He's got their attention now, though, after seeing the Thunder make 56 per cent of their shots.

shattered

Dallas came into this series not having allowed more than 97 points in any play-off game and Oklahoma City have shattered that in both games.

"Scoring 100 points in a play-off game should be enough to win," Carlisle said. "Not if you're giving up 106, 112. Give them credit. They played an attacking, desperate game. Their bench was dominant when they played."

In Game One, Dallas' reserves outscored Oklahoma City's 53-22. In Game Two, the Thunder won the battle of the backups 50-29.