Weekend TV offers mother lode of playoff coverage

It might be purely coincidence, but not long after Los Angeles Clippers guard Matt Barnes reportedly talked trash to James Harden’s mother Wednesday night, the Rockets guard exploded for 16 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter to lead Houston to a comeback victory that evened their NBA playoff series at a game apiece.

Barnes might have awakened a sleeping giant, as Harden, the NBA Most Valuable Player runner-up, was coming off a playoff-low 20 points in a Game 1 loss.

The Western Conference semifinal series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 at 7:30 p.m. today on ESPN (30). Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday (5:30 p.m., TNT (18)), which happens to be Mother’s Day. Maybe Barnes can bring flowers to the game for Harden’s mom.

With all four NBA playoff series knotted 1-1, there’s a mother lode of enticing games on tap for Mother’s Day weekend.

TODAY

NBA playoffs: Eastern Conference semifinals, Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls, Game 3 (5 p.m., ESPN (30)): Wearing his signature headband again for the first time in two months, LeBron James scored 33 points to lead the Kevin Love-less Cavs to a wire-to-wire Game 2 win over the Bulls. The four-time NBA MVP and his lucky headband will be joined tonight by sharpshooter J.R. Smith, who is returning from a two-game suspension for striking Boston’s Jae Crowder.

BEST OF REST: NHL playoffs: Eastern Conference semifinals, Washington Capitals at New York Rangers, Game 5 (4 p.m., NBCSP (38)); Western Conference semifinals, Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames, Game 4 (6:30 p.m., NBCSP (38)); MLB: Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels (7 p.m. FSW (49)); PGA Tour: The Players Championship, second round (10 a.m., TGC (339)).

SATURDAY

NBA playoffs, Western Conference semifinals, Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies, Game 3 (5:15 p.m., ABC (13)): Despite a pregame MVP ceremony for Stephen Curry that whipped the home crowd into a frenzy, the Warriors trailed for almost the entire way against the Grizzlies in Game 2 in a rare home loss. Rarer still was a poor shooting performance by Curry and Klay Thompson, who went a combined 13-for-34 from the field and 3-for-17 from 3-point range. The Splash Brothers need to return to form to help Golden State regain its home-court advantage.

BEST OF REST

NBA playoffs: Eastern Conference semifinals, Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards, Game 3 (2 p.m., ESPN (30)); NHL playoffs: TBD (4:30 p.m., NBCSP (38), 7 p.m. (NBCSP (38)); MLB: Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers (10 a.m., FS1 (329)), Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals (1 p.m., FS1 (329)), Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels (6 p.m., FSW (49)); PGA Tour: The Players Championship, third round (11 a.m., NBC (3)).

SUNDAY

Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers (5 p.m., ESPN (30)): Showing that last season’s magical run to the World Series wasn’t a fluke, the Royals (18-10) lead the American League Central by a ½-game over the Tigers (18-11) entering their three-game weekend series at Detroit’s Comerica Park.

BEST OF REST

NBA playoffs: Eastern Conference semifinals, Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls, Game 4 (12:30 p.m., ABC (30)); NHL playoffs: TBD (4:30 p.m., NBCSP (38)), 7 p.m. (NBCSP (38)); MLB: Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels (12:30 p.m., FSW (49)); PGA Tour: The Players Championship, final round (11 a.m., NBC (3)).

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him on Twitter: @tdewey33.