Play It Forward April 17-23: Already, a Clipper playoff on the brink

anking the top 10 sports events April 17-23 you won’t want to miss:

NO. 1: NBA PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

CLIPPERS vs. UTAH

Details/TV: Game 2 at Staples Center, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., TNT, Prime Ticket

“The series doesn’t start until somebody loses at home,” Chris Paul told reporters after the Clippers’ 97-95 Game 1 loss Saturday night at Staples Center. “I guess that started it. … Now we’ve got to see what we’re made of.”

Someone start counting how many days could be left in the Clippers’ postseason. The way things lay out, yes, this could be the final week. Even with the way that the NBA spaces out the playoff series this time of year, the Clippers may have been spaced out enough after that opening loss and by the time they reach Game 4 against the Jazz in Utah, they could vanish into another black hole.

Was that a reasonable wake-up call for the Clippers? Do they need wake-up calls at this point?

For as many out there calling for a Clippers’ first-round triumph based on the stat sheets, there was also this sort of cloud hanging over them from a New York Times prognostication: “Despite the standings holding in the Clippers’ favor, there is a definite sense that Los Angeles is something of the past while Utah is a bright spot of the future.” The newspaper’s pick: Jazz, who hadn’t won a playoff game since 2010 before Saturday night, in six. Even if center Rudy Gobert, who led the team in minutes played, rebounds and blocks, is hour-to-hour with that knee he banged up in the opening seconds of Game 1.

Also this week for the Clippers: Game 3 at Utah, Friday at 7 p.m., ESPN2, Prime Ticket; Game 4 at Utah, Sunday at 6 p.m., TNT, Prime Ticket.

Also in the NBA playoffs this week of note:

Western Conference: Houston vs. Oklahoma City: Game 2 at Houston, Wednesday at 5 p.m., TNT; Golden State vs. Portland: Game 2 at Golden State, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., TNT

Eastern Conference: Cleveland vs. Indiana: Game 2 at Cleveland, Monday at 4 p.m., TNT; Boston vs. Chicago: Game 2 at Boston, Tuesday at 5 p.m., TNT

NO. 2: NHL PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

DUCKS vs. CALGARY

Details/TV: Game 3 at Calgary, Monday, 7 p.m., NBCSN, Prime Ticket

The Ducks toasting the Flames at Honda Center in Anaheim is one thing. That’s almost a guaranteed occurrence now. Taking it on the road now after a somewhat lucky win in Game 2 to lead the series two games to none is where we see how this really plays out.

Also this week for the Ducks: Game 4 is Wednesday in Calgary, 7 p.m., USA Network and Prime Ticket; Games 5 and 6 are at Honda Center in Anaheim, TBD

Also in the NHL playoffs this week of note:

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Western Conference: San Jose vs. Edmonton: Game 4 at San Jose, Tuesday at 7 p.m., NBCSN: Chicago vs. Nashville: Game 3 at Nashville, Monday at 6:30 p.m., CNBC

Eastern Conference: N.Y. Rangers vs. Montreal: Game 4 at N.Y., Tuesday at 4 p.m., NBCSN; Pittsburgh vs. Columbus: Game 4 at Columbus, Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., CNBC; Washington vs. Toronto: Game 3 at Toronto, Monday at 4 p.m., NBCSN

NO. 3: MLB: DODGERS vs. COLORADO

Details/TV: At Dodger Stadium, Tuesday and Wednesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA

After the Dodgers mop up the finale of a wrap-around series against Arizona (Monday, 7:10 p.m., SNLA), they get another chance to figure out the Rockies after losing two of three against them in Colorado last week under typical chilly conditions. Clayton Kershaw, on the losing end of a 4-2 decision when he gave up back-to-back homers (Mark Reynolds, Gerardo Parra) for the first time in his career, comes back to start Wednesday. Interesting to watch the story this year for Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. A year after he was the NL Rookie of the Month for April when he hit 10 homers (including two on Opening Day and seven in his first six games), the 24-year-old is hitting a season-worst .114 with just one homer – last Thursday off Madison Bumgarner.

Also this week for the Dodgers: At Arizona, Friday at 6:40 p.m., Saturday at 5:10 p.m., Sunday at 1:10 p.m., SSN

NO. 4: 121st BOSTON MARATHON

Details/TV: Monday, 5:30 a.m., NBCSN

Galen Rupp, the Portland native and University of Oregon runner coached by Alberto Salazar, won the silver medal in the 2012 Olympic 10,000 meters and he’s running this race for the first time. And Meb Keflezighi, the 2014 winner out of UCLA, is doing this competitively for the last time, he says. The 41-year-old will retire from pro racing after the New York City Marathon in November. The temps are supposed to range in the mid-60s with mostly sunny conditions for the race, with even the normal headwind for the final part of the race switching to be at the runner’s back this time the entire way. Could some records fall, then? Ethopia’s Lemi Berhanu Hayle is the defending champion and won a marathon in China four months ago in 2:08.27. More info: www.baa.org

NO. 5: MLB: ANGELS vs. TORONTO

Details/TV: At Angel Stadium, Friday, 7:07 p.m., Saturday, 6:07 p.m., Sunday, 12:37 p.m., FSW

They’re showing a movie after Saturday’s game — and considering how the Angels have been making it interesting with ninth-inning comebacks, it could be later than usual. This time, the flick to catch will be the Chris Pratt/Zoe Saldana “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The sequel comes out in May.

Also this week for the Angels: At Houston, Monday-Wednesday, 5 p.m., Thursday at 11:10 a.m., FSW

NO. 6: MLS: GALAXY vs. SEATTLE

Details/TV: At StubHub Center in Carson, Sunday, 1 p.m., ESPN

First of three in a row at home for the Galaxy, who’ve lost four of their six games thus far. The rival Sounders posted their only win on March 19 against the visiting New York Red Bull and haven’t triumphed since, posting three draws and a loss. Clint Dempsey has two goals (on 20 shots) and no assists so far in six games.

NO. 7: BOXING: OSCAR VALDEZ vs. MIGUEL MARRIAGA

Details/TV: At StubHub Tennis Center in Carson, Saturday, 6 p.m., pay-per-view ($44.99)

The Top Rank eight-fight card has Valdez (22-0) defending his WBO featherweight title as well as Gilberto Ramirez (34-0) defending his WBO super middleweight title against Max Bursak and Jessie Magdaleno (24-0) making his first title defense of his WBO junior featherweight belt against Adeilson Dos Santos. The card begins at 3 p.m.

NO. 8: MEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL: MOUNTAIN PACIFIC SPORTS FEDERATION FINAL

Details/TV: At Long Beach State’s Walter Pyramid, Saturday, 7 p.m.

The NCAA championships roll around May 4-6 in Columbus, Ohio, but a lot of the heavy lifting happens here. Long Beach State (25-3) has maintained its No. 1 national ranking for a while, and disposed of No. 10 nationally USC in the conference quarterfinals in four sets. UCLA also lost in the quarterfinals. In Thursday’s semifinals, the 49ers face No. 5 nationally ranked UC Irvine (7:30 p.m.) while No. 3 nationally BYU takes on No. 4 nationally Hawaii (5 p.m.), with the winners advancing and likely also claiming two of the four spots in the national semifinals. More info: www.mpsports.org

NO. 9: COLLEGE BASEBALL: LONG BEACH STATE at UCLA

Details/TV: At Jackie Robinson Stadium, Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The Dirtbags (22-12), who have climbed to 12 in the national rankings, have this nonconference match up in the middle of their schedule against the Bruins (16-16), who have won three of their last four.

NO. 10: NASCAR FOOD CITY 500

Details/TV: At Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday at 11 a.m., Ch. 11

After taking the Easter week off — why don’t more sports do that? — the circuit returns to the half-mile track where it takes about 15 seconds to go around once. Pit at your own risk.