OKC Thunder: Thunder puts it all on the line, the free-throw line

That something was free throws.

Oklahoma City defeated Dallas 102-99 in Game 2 on Monday night inside Chesapeake Energy Arena only because it was able to march to the foul line and manufacture points when nothing else was working.

The Thunder went six-for-six at the line in the final 50.4 seconds to take a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven series that now shifts to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.

If the first two games were any indication, the next two both could be tightly-contested battles that come down to the wire, which makes it a good thing the Thunder has a history of success at the stripe.

Both games in OKC were decided by a combined four points, and when the shots weren't falling in the fourth quarter Monday the charity stripe was the only thing the Thunder could rely on.

Durant scored 26 points but made just 5-of-17 shots and had just one assist against a game-high seven turnovers to complete a second consecutive all-around subpar night offensively. But the three-time scoring champ shot a game-high 16 free throws, making 14 to help keep the Thunder in command of this series.

Durant split a pair of foul shots to tie the score at 86-all with 6:57 left to play and later put the Thunder ahead for good via two freebies with 50.4 seconds remaining. Durant's last two attempts came after he was shoved out of bounds by Mavs guard Jason Terry after catching an inbounds pass with 1.5 seconds remaining on the shot clock.