Mavericks-Clippers, Heat-Celtics set for pivotal Game 5s in their first-round series

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks are all tied up after four games in a series that's been a back-and-forth thriller with big finishes, surprising twists and an intriguingly counterintuitive narrative. The Boston Celtics know they should really try to finish off the Miami Heat before their own series edges toward classic status as well. Top-seeded Boston has its first chance to eliminate defending conference champion Miami at TD Garden. A win would give the Celtics valuable rest time before the second round and eliminate the chance for the Heat to do what the Celtics did to them last year by stretching their Eastern Conference finals matchup out to seven exhausting games after Miami had taken a 3-0 lead.