Okay - I'm going to give in to a touch of smugness and post this before we get tested by the Spurs.  Here is one more recap of the Hornets-Mavericks Series, told in accordance with the 5 Stages of Grief.

Stage 1: DENIAL

"We get this win, it's a new series. We haven't shown up in this series yet. We all know that. But it's going to be crazy here." - Jason Terry, Before Game 3

"We've been down 2-0 before, and we've even lost two home games before and came back to win the series . . . I still think we have what it takes to win this series. So I'm not going to throw everything out the window now."  - Dirk Nowitzki, after losing big in Game 2

"We still think we can get better," Johnson said. "After the first two games, we hadn't started playing playoff basketball. We had flashes of it last night." - Avery Johnson, after losing big in Game 2

"We may be down 2-0, but Jeff Bower can't dance like this!  Anyone want to RUUUUUMBAAAA!?" - Obviously Fake Quote Not Uttered by Mark Cuban

Stage 2: ANGER

 Kidd Fouling Pargo

"I was about ready to kick his ass -- you know what I'm saying? He was sitting on the sideline and we just got into a little conversation or something and he was going to tell me, you know, 'Talk to me when you get a ring.' I was like, I told that fool, 'If I played with Magic and Worthy and Kareem I'd have a ring, too. So, you know, he's a sucker in my book, but that's a whole other story."
- Jerry Stackhouse, being a Jackass about Byron Scott

"I'll show you for making me look like an overpaid, useless piece of crap." - Thoughts of Jason Kidd, never expressed aloud.

Stage 3: BARGAINING

Nowitzki Bargaining

"I saw a review of it. Kidd wasn't trying to hurt anybody. I think he got caught in a bad position. It was just a tough call. By no means was he trying to injure Pargo."
- Avery Johnson, Hoping Kidd would not be suspended

Stage 4: DEPRESSION

Depressed Mavs

"We just didn't have a great offensive series, I guess," - Nowitzki, speaking about the series in the past tense before it was over.

Stage 5: ACCEPTANCE

 

"Mavs, Johnson part ways after team's playoff ouster" - AP Headline following Mavs defeat.

"It's a team game, and all the pieces have to fit together, and the pieces just weren't fitting together." - Mark Cuban, asked about the Firing of Avery Johnson

 Okay, I think that's enough gloating on my part.  Don't want to tempt fate with the Spurs coming up!