Hornets Coach Questions NBA Officials Despite Blowout Win Over Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks tried to stay competitive with the red-hot Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night, but they ended up getting blown out, 117-90. It was the Hornets' fifth straight win by at least 15 points, as they brought themselves back to .500 on the season, while the Mavs are now a season-low 19 games below .500.

Dallas just couldn't do much well. They were 28/74 from the floor, 3/22 from three, and allowed 13 offensive rebounds, leading to 18 second-chance points. The only reason they were somewhat competitive early was their ability to get to the free-throw line, where they were 31/42.

That's a stark contrast to the Hornets, who were 13/19 from the stripe. It's not often that you see an NBA team double up its opponent on free throw attempts and still lose by nearly 30, but that's what happened on Tuesday night.

Despite the 27-point win, Hornets head coach Charles Lee made sure to call out the free-throw differential in his postgame press conference.

"42-19 free throws, interesting..." Lee said.

Charles Lee called out the refs after the game 😭

“42-19 free throws… interesting.” pic.twitter.com/jZKgSaxQXR
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) March 4, 2026

Why the Free-Throw Differential Was So Large in Mavericks-Hornets

A lot of times, a free-throw differential this large can be tacked up to poor or inconsistent officiating. However, this one is very easy to explain.

The Dallas Mavericks were 3/22 from three. The Charlotte Hornets were 20/51. That's been consistent with the season, as the Mavericks are 29th in threes attempted per 100 possessions, while the Hornets are 3rd, attempting nearly 13 more per 100 possessions than the Mavs. Naturally, a team that shoots more threes is going to attempt fewer free throws, as they're not driving to the paint to take fouls.

The numbers back that up as well. The Mavericks are 8th in the NBA in free throws attempted per 100 possessions, while the Hornets are 22nd. Even looking at the point in the paint, the Mavs are 4th in the NBA, while Charlotte is 24th (yes, free throws would take away points in the paint, but it's indicative of playing style, more than anything).

These numbers are also why the Mavericks have been so poor this season. You can't win without three-point shooting, and the Mavs have been one of the worst shooting teams all season. Klay Thompson has been solid, shooting 37.8% from deep. Max Christie started the season hot and has mostly cooled down recently, but he's still shooting 41.2% from deep. No one else on the team is seen as a respectable shooter. Ryan Nembhard and Caleb Martin may have fine numbers, but teams are happy to let them shoot.

That's why adding more consistent three-point shooting has to be at the top of the team's priorities this offseason.

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