Give Joe Johnson your sick, your poor, your injured centers

No 2016 NBA free agent who changed teams has been more important thus far in the 2017 NBA playoffs than Joe Johnson. Think about that. This dude is 35 years old and is known for two main things in the NBA: Playing a retrograde, discredited style of hero ball, and making inordinate amounts of money.

He’s also unstoppable in the post against smaller players and unbelievably cool in big moments. So in Game 1 he was able to slide in and hit a game-winner to put the Jazz up 1-0 on the Clippers. In critical Game 4 in Salt Lake, he completely took over down the stretch.

The Clippers led by seven with seven minutes to go as Chris Paul took control. Johnson went on a personal 7-0 run to tie, and scored 11 consecutive points for Utah as the Jazz took control. After that run, he assisted three of the four remaining Utah baskets: A pair of triples for Joe Ingles and one of Rodney Hood’s two daggers (the one that included this spectacular shimmy). Johnson was so good he made Blake Griffin and Steve Ballmer unbearably sad.

He did all this with Gordon Hayward missing the second half due to food poisoning and with Rudy Gobert on a minutes limit. This series is tied 2-2 going back to Los Angeles. Joe Johnson, American hero.

Cavaliers 106, Pacers 102 (CLE wins 4-0)

Rockets 113, Thunder 109 (HOU leads 3-1)

Celtics 104, Bulls 95 (Series tied 2-2)

Clippers 98, Jazz 105 (Series tied 2-2)

The Cavaliers have won their series against the Pacers. 4-0. All were relatively close games. Close doesn’t count. (Ask the Pistons, who were close in all four losses to the Cavs in the first round last year ... and then missed the playoffs this year.) LeBron has won his last 21 first-round games, which is just absolutely crazy. He was the best player on the court again in Game 4. He even brought out a vintage chasedown block!

Was that Paul George’s last game as Pacer? Here’s Michael Lee on the risks George would face returning home to play for the Lakers. And here’s Gregg Doyel on the failure of the Pacers’ season.

Speaking of PG-13, he’s not very reliable in high-pressure moments.

I don’t even know what to say about Celtics vs. Bulls. Just go read the recap and check out Paul Flannery’s Sunday Shootaround on the series where nothing makes sense.

The closing moments of Rockets vs. Thunder Game 4 were compelling in the same way watching a foal trying to figure out how to walk is compelling. You just sit back, laugh, and occasionally yell “What are you doing, you fool?” Both teams made bizarre decisions — Russell Westbrook taking twos down six, James Harden forcing action when he needed to burn clock, Jerami Grant fouling softly when a three-point play was death — and the Rockets, who are better, came away ahead. Harden hit a helluva dagger after struggling all game, and for his trouble he goes home with a 3-1 lead. Given the Spurs and Grizzlies are locked in a dogfight, Houston might be starting to feel good about its prospects.

Monday’s schedule:
Bucks at Raptors, 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV (Series tied 2-2)
Wizards at Hawks, 8 p.m. ET, TNT (WAS leads 2-1)
Warriors at Blazers, 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT (GSW leads 3-0)

There was a good deal of saltiness on Sunday I’d like to share with you. First up, a media member asks Steven Adams and Westbrook — sitting together at the podium — about the failures of Westbrook’s supporting cast. Westbrook did not appreciate that question.

Let’s stay with Rockets-Thunder. Check out Houston’s bench completely losing their minds laughing at Andre Roberson, who is struggling from the free throw line. Sheesh! That’s exceptionally rude!

And finally: After an in-game confrontation, Jimmy Butler flatly calls Marcus Smart’s bluff and declare that the young Celtic “is not about that life.” DAMN.

Veritable ballet master Zito Madu on how Mike Conley is a predator in sheep’s clothing.

Robin Lopez stays weird, unties and then ties Jae Crowder’s shoe after Crowder kicks away Lopez’s own shoe.

Steve Kerr spoke about his health issues and seems to be in quite terrible shape. Best wishes to him. (Did you know he broke an NBA rule by taking off his sports coat in Game 2, and that rule is referred to as the Stan Van Gundy Rule?)

No one’s really paying much attention, but Draymond Green is trash talking the Hades out of Moe Harkless.