McMillan believes officials helped decide Game 1

Did the Mavericks fight back from a six-point fourth quarter deficit because they made the winning plays down the stretch or did they benefit from a lopsided number of free throw attempts?
 
Portland coach Nate McMillan certainly believed the officials were a factor in the Mavericks getting 19 fourth quarter free throw attempts, which helped the home team earn an 89-81 victory Saturday at American Airlines Center.
 
"The free throws, I just don't get that," McMillan said. "It's hard for our guys to know how to play out there when it's called a little different; 19 to two in the fourth quarter. And I felt like we were attacking, and guys really didn't know how to play with the fouls that were being called. A lot of touch fouls; I thought that took the momentum and pretty much gave them control of the game in the fourth quarter."
 
Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry were responsible for shooting all 19 and missing only one.
 
"I thought we made some stops but they marched to the free throw line," McMillan added.
 
Jason Kidd never went to the line in Game 1, but he also didn't believe the referees were the reason for the fourth quarter comeback.
 
"I don't think the officials were a favorite to either team," Kidd said. "Both teams are going to complain about fouls during a game. That's what we do, as players, so you just got to play through it."
 
Portland finished the game 9 of 13 from the free throw line. The Mavericks were 25 of 29, highlighted by a 13 for 13 effort from Nowitzki.