James, Cavaliers one win from sweeping through 2nd round

LeBron James doesn't prolong the inevitable.

The last seven times that James' teams have had a 3-0 lead in a playoff series, the matchup has ended in the most humane fashion — a sweep. He gets a chance at another Sunday, when Cleveland can oust Toronto and advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

That's one of three Game 4s on Sunday's NBA playoff slate: Boston and Washington continue their bruising series with the Celtics leading that East semifinal matchup 2-1, and San Antonio — which proved on Friday that it won't buckle easily after losing Tony Parker for the season — will look to go up 3-1 in its West semifinal series against Houston.

Those Celtics- Wizards and Spurs- Rockets matchups look like they might last a while.

The Cavaliers- Raptors one, not so much.

History says it's over: No NBA team has wasted a 3-0 series lead, James has never coughed up as much as a 20 series lead, and even if the Raptors get injured point guard Kyle Lowry (ankle) back for Sunday he surely won't be anywhere near his best. Going back to last season's rally in the NBA Finals the Cavs have won 10 consecutive playoff games, three shy of the NBA's record set by the Los Angeles Lakers over the 1988 and 1989 postseasons.

And James is making it look easy — 34.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game so far in these playoffs, on 57 percent shooting. Such a stat line has never been done by anyone over the course of an entire postseason. Here's some of what to know going into Sunday:

Celtics at Wizards, Boston leads 2-1. Game 4, 6:30 p.m., TNT.

The NBA suspended the Wizards' Kelly Oubre Jr. for Sunday “for charging and making forceful and unwarranted contact” with the Celtics' Kelly Olynyk in Game 3. Celtics G Isaiah Thomas has been all over the scoring map in the first three games, with 33, 53 and 13 points, respectively. The Celtics averaged 126 points in the first two games, then managed only 89 in Game 3. John Wall has been super for Washington, averaging 28 points and 12.3 assists. The physicality. There were eight technicals and three ejections in Game 3, both teams are proudly talking about how much they don't like the other side, and the OubreOlynyk dustup — while tame by past NBA playoff altercation standards — is surely going to have some carry over into Sunday, especially now with Oubre out. Thomas (teeth issues) will play with a temporary bridge, one the Celtics are prepared to replace on the fly if necessary. The referees. Expect Sunday's crew to set the tone by not letting either side get away with too much extra- curricular activity in the first few minutes, perhaps sending a message that everyone would prefer to see a series decided by scoring instead of shoving.