This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin went to his bench Thursday night, he got game-changing production.
Led by Enes Kanter, Utah's four non-starters who saw playing time against Milwaukee contributed 36 points and 17 rebounds during the Jazz's 96-87 victory over the Bucks at EnergySolutions Arena.
Kanter finished with 11 points and six rebounds. He had seven points and five rebounds in the second quarter, when Corbin used his back-ups for nearly 10 minutes.
In that stretch, the Jazz turned a 20-20 tie into a 46-36 lead.
"I thought our second group did a great job all night long for us," Corbin said. "They played with a lot of energy. They passed the ball very well. … I thought the starters were struggling a little bit at the beginning and they got the lead for us."
Along with Kanter, Alec Burks, Diante Garrett and Jeremy Evans provided a much-needed spark as the Jazz won their third straight home game. Burks finished with 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. His basket after Milwaukee got as close as 83-80 in the final four minutes helped Utah stop the Bucks' momentum.
Meanwhile, Garrett scored a career-high 10 points. He also finished with four rebounds and four assists. Like Kanter, he was especially effective in the second quarter.
Because of the way his non-starters played, Corbin was able to limit the minutes of first group.
Gordon Hayward was the only starter to play more than 29 minutes, which could have contributed to Utah's strong run down the stretch.
Asked why his non-starters played at least 19 minutes, Corbin said, "The way the game was going. That group was playing well so I left them out there. They deserved to be out there. ... That's one thing about this group. When guys get the opportunity, they are making the most of it."
Against the Bucks, Kanter reached double figures for the second time in the last six games.
"He played a lot better," Corbin said. "He's getting back to his old ways. He's being a beast down low. We're able to go to him in the post."
Said Kanter: "I talked to a couple of my coaches and they talked to me about being focused. That's what I'm trying to do. ...
"My thing is not about basketball or anything else. It's about being focused. If I am, I'm O.K. If I'm not, then some things can affect me."
Twitter: @sluhm —
Coming on in relief
• The Jazz get 36 points and 17 rebounds from their non-starters in a 96-87 victory over Milwaukee.
• Enes Kanter scores seven of his 11 points in the second quarter, when Utah takes the lead for good.
• Backup point guard Diante Garrett scores a career-high 10 points. He is 2-for-2 in 3-pointers.