Oklahoma City ? Thunder coach Scott Brooks seems as down-to-earth as an NBA coach can be. He chirps good mornings to reporters. He’s practically cheerful. When he’s referred to as Scotty, it just seems right.

But somewhere inside the undersized former NBA point guard is a no-nonsense, size-it-up nerve that he trusts — even in the Western Conference finals. Brooks said he “went with my gut,” when he stuck with an unorthodox line-up of reserves, plus Kevin Durant, of course, in the fourth quarter of the Game 2 victory Thursday over the Mavericks.

“And it worked,” he said.

But how the third-year coach manages the ensuing fallout could influence if the Thunder is to take its first lead of the series after today’s Game 3.

Dealing with Dirk Nowitzki is one thing. But Brooks’ lineup dallying is potentially polarizing on his own team. Among the starters who didn’t play in the final quarter: point guard Russell Westbrook, the much analyzed, puzzling, picked-on Thunder player who was a second-team All-NBA selection.

Westbrook said all the right things — really by sticking to his company line — after the game and again Friday, and refused to ignite scrutiny into controversy.

“He’s the head coach and he makes the decisions … and he made the best one,” Westbrook said. “I’m just sticking behind my team.”

His play has been publicly dissected throughout the postseason. Does he shoot too much, take bad shots, not pass enough?

“Regardless of what I do, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “I can’t do no right.”

Westbrook said the media should focus on the Thunder winning, not on his play, which resulted in 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting in Game 2. He was 3-of-15 in Game 1 but still had 20 points thanks to free throws.

But he has seven assists to eight turnovers in this series, and he’d just lost the ball, then fouled Mavs guard Jason Kidd to make it worse, when Brooks took him out with 28.9 seconds left in the third quarter Thursday. Westbrook appeared upset and admitted to being “frustrated.”

But Brooks went out of his way Friday to smooth things over.

He claimed he sat Westbrook because he always does late in the third, as the stress on a point guard requires rest.

He didn’t put him back in, Brooks said, because Eric Maynor, James Harden and Co. undeniably had it going.

“He’s competitive, and that’s what makes Russell good,” Brooks said. “If he didn’t feel a little frustrated in the fourth quarter, then I would have a problem.”

Durant praised Westbrook as a teammate and said the criticism on him is too much.

Center Kendrick Perkins, who also sat in the final quarter, said being a spectator will motivate Westbrook.

“He always plays with a chip on his shoulder,” Perkins said. “Prepare to see a different Russ Westbrook in Game 3.”

And prepare to see Brooks go with his gut, even if unexpected.