NBA playoffs schedule and results: Wizards, Cavs finish off sweeps, Mavs stay alive

It’s rough if you’re a fan of one of the NBA teams eliminated from the playoffs. The sobering realization that the season is over comes crashing down. Inside the NBA wont let you forget that reality with a series of “Gone Fishing” photoshops. Hopefully they’ll make you smile ... a little.

Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg are going fishing with the crew. Check out what Kelly Olynyck has in his hand ... yep, that’s Kevin Love’s dismembered arm. Not cool, Celtics. He needs that to do stuff.

The Cavaliers never reached that exalted level that we saw at times during the regular season against teams like Golden State and San Antonio. Then again, that wasn’t really necessary. The key question, and the one we still don’t have an answer for yet, is whether they can get there collectively when the competition gets tougher.

“We only can control what we can control,” James said. “If Love is out and if J.R., whatever happens with him, then it’s the next man up. We have guys that have been able to step up. We know it’s going to be a tough void with two of our bigger guys in our lineup and in our season so far, but we got to have guys step up and we see what happens.”

Compared to Game 3, when the Spurs steamrolled to a 100-73 beatdown, this was a stark contrast. Paul was hitting shots all over the court and dictating the pace with expert awareness, and Griffin used his otherworldly gifts to overwhelm guys like we had seen in the first game of the series. CP3 was feeling it:

The game was close throughout the first three quarters, but Los Angeles finally started to pull away late. A 12-4 run to begin the fourth quarter gave the Clips a 93-80 lead, and while San Antonio would respond with an 8-0 run, that’s as close as the Spurs would get. By the 3:29 mark in the game, L.A. was back up by 14.

Rich Carlisle was fined $25,000 for criticizing the referees from the playoff series earlier this week, and the Mavericks’ coach was darn sure he wasn’t going to lose that money again. His solution: A 25-cent piece of duct tape. Well played, Rick.

h/t @TheCauldron

We saw two other teams finish off sweeps Sunday, but Dallas wouldn’t let that happen at home against a state rival. The Mavericks outscored the Rockets over the second and third quarters, 69-41, and used that dominant stretch to earn a much-needed win.

Barea hit several huge shots Sunday, and helped get the crowd into the game in the process.

WHELP.

Paul Pierce isn’t gonna let this one die. Nope. No way in hell. The Raptors got swept by the Wizards. And Pierce wants to remind them. Even if it is a seriously awesome troll job.

The real question is whether fans can get their brooms back. It looks like there are a few tags on them, but it would be a shame if they weren’t collected after the game.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://instagram.com/p/19cu3UNO1a/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">If u readin this you’ve been swept @champagnepapi ....“u knowHowdishhgo” #stillmyWoe but #runninTHRUthedueceWitMyWall ^2</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Wale (@wale) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2015-04-27T01:35:39+00:00">Apr 26, 2015 at 6:35pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>

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Watch this Wizards fan work it as his team looks to closeout the series against the Raptors.

This is definitely a bold fashion choice. That is if we can work out what the heck James Harden is wearing. It looks a whole lot like a jacket, over a camouflage shirt, over a floral dress, over skinny jeans.

Who am I to judge? He’s a multi-millionaire who is on the razor-sharp edge of fashion. I am, well, none of those things.

Watch this drive by John Wall that ended with a foul being called on Kyle Lowry.

No matter what team you are rooting for, that is an unquestionably horrible call.

Watch as the Spurs pull off the ol’ pass-off-the-back-of-Matt Barnes trick.

But the Clippers had the last laugh as they went on to win the game 114-105 and tied the series 2-2.

The Clippers’ playoff obituary was already being written. A heartbreaking Game 2 defeat led to a horrible Game 3 performance and serious doubts that they could rally against a battle-tested Spurs team.

But Chris Paul had other ideas. L.A.‘s all-world point guard delivered a spectacular 34-point, seven-assist performance to lead the Clippers to a 114-105 victory that ties this riveting series at two games apiece.

Some players miss free throws short. Some miss them slightly to the left or right. DeAndre Jordan gave us a rare combination of both today.

He might have been better off running up and trying to dunk from the free throw line.

You might think Kawhi Leonard, Boris Diaw and Tim Duncan combined would be able to stop just about anything.

Well, you would be wrong. Chris Paul has no intention of getting knocked out in the first round this year.

After the game, Love was confident that he’d be able to play again this postseason:

However, Love was angry with Olynyk and told the media that he hopes the league will take another look at the play:

How do you miss this call?

Hard to blame LeBron for being heated after that one!

It was a physical game throughout, but the Cavaliers dominated all afternoon. They led 57-36 at the half. The Celtics cut the lead to single digits in the third quarter, but Cleveland was too good. They maintained their lead in the fourth to hold on for a win despite a furious rally from the Celtics in the game’s final minute.

Here’s three things we learned Sunday.

When Crowder fell from the blow, his left leg crumpled beneath him. He was helped off the court by his teammates with a left knee sprain and will not return.

UPDATE: After the game, Smith addressed the swing and a potential suspension for the next series.

LeBron James closed out the first half of what’s been a chippy game so far with a strong drive to the basket.

Jared Sullinger tried to stop him, but that’s easier said than done.

He immediately got in Crowder’s face and they exchanged words.

Perkins got a flagrant 1 for the vicious screen and he and Crowder were both assessed technical fouls after the short shoving match. Playoff basketball is no joke.

But first, they have to take care of business one more time against the Raptors.

After shocking the Raptors by winning the first two games in Toronto, the Wizards overcame a strong start from the Raptors and held on down the stretch to win Game 3, 106-99.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics: 1 p.m. ET, ABC, WatchESPN

Los Angeles Clippers at San Antonio Spurs: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC, WatchESPN

If the Mavericks were healthier or more cohesive, you’d certainly expect them to show up for their home fans in the American Airlines Center. They still may, but the Rockets will be just as keen about finishing this first-round series now without letting it linger.

Here’s how to watch Sunday:

It only got worse from there for the Clippers. The Spurs gained the edge in the series in Game 3 with a blowout win. Kawhi Leonard, this year’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year, proved he’s anything but one-dimensional en route to putting up 32 points in just 29 minutes of play. Griffin led the way in rebounds for the game, pulling down just 10 for the Clippers, and the Spurs walked out of there with a 100-73 victory.

It’s worth noting that the Clippers were solid on the road in the regular season, and even won one road game against the Spurs. That’s significant considering the Spurs were an incredible 33-8 at home in the regular season, but at the end of the day, nothing that Griffin, Paul or anybody else did amounted to much in Game 3.