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NEW ORLEANS – Avery Johnson's future as coach of the Mavericks is on the clock.

He knows it. His actions in recent weeks make some wonder if deep down, Johnson wants owner Mark Cuban to end the relationship.

The first signs of friction became public last month, when the two engaged in a heated shouting match in Johnson's office after a loss to the LA Lakers, an exchange that witnesses say resulted in Johnson telling Cuban if he knew so much, he should coach the team.

The language was a little more colorful than that, but you get the idea.

In the team's first-round exit to New Orleans, Johnson has taken full responsibility for missing free throws and failing to knock down shots after a loss. When asked before one game how his team could win, Johnson suggested their best shot was if the Hornets stayed in their hotel rooms.

It was a striking response from a coach who worked hard to build this team in his defiant image.

One person close to Johnson believes the coach felt increasingly isolated as the season unfolded. He doesn't know if Johnson has received the support he would like from Cuban and general manager Donnie Nelson.

Johnson has cut off questions dealing with his future before they can be fully formed. When asked Tuesday if his job was in jeopardy, Johnson replied he hopes that's not the case. He said he loves the team and loves what he's doing.

This came less than 24 hours after he told his players there would be no practice because he wanted them to rest their legs. The players overruled him and practiced anyway, which sources say led to a profane response by Johnson.

"I don't want to get into that," Johnson said. "I made my statement about what happened."

Johnson has never backed down from a challenge. He embraces adversity and takes it as a test of character and resolve. So why has he been strangely passive in his public comments as the season has worn on?

Cuban isn't the sort of person who tells others what he intends to do. He goes out and does it. Now, everyone is watching.

And waiting.

"We've all got jobs," sixth man Jerry Stackhouse said. "We all come to work. We all get hired to be fired at some point.

"Nobody, from the greatest to whoever, to Harold Miner, they all see it end."

I'm not sure how Miner wound up in a conversation about Johnson's job status, but let's move on.

Cuban made a huge financial and emotional investment when he traded for Jason Kidd in February. When those deals don't work, even Johnson acknowledges there are ramifications.

"It's not anybody's fault," Stackhouse said. "It's just one of those situations where it didn't click. With the kind of team we had, it was automatically assumed the light would switch on.

"That switch never clicked for this team."

After the loss, Kidd was asked if he hoped Johnson was the coach of this team moving forward.

"Why is it between me and Avery?" Kidd asked. "I'm an employee of the Mavericks.

"I think with me and Coach, there are no problems. For you guys [media] to think there's anything with me and Coach, that's far from the case."

The clock is ticking.

"We don't know what Mark is thinking," Stackhouse said. "At the end of the day, he is the end-all in what is going to happen.

"I think it's a tough time right now emotionally for everybody. The season is over for us.

"We'll wait and see what the boss does."