NBA Power Rankings: 4 Dark Horses That Could Compete in Playoffs

With the NBA playoffs rapidly approaching, teams are either hitting their strides or falling apart at the last minute. It is all very important to decide what teams are dark horses.

Now, in order to be considered a dark horse, a team must be lower than a four seed. That's why you won't see anybody like the Spurs on here. If a team is below a four seed, it is assumed that they do not have the ability to win it all.

These are the teams that I feel people are not giving enough credit to. The teams that have the depth and skill, but are not as well known as others. 

These are the teams that you need to look out for.

Boston Celtics

I have to admit, even I had my reservations about the Celtics, especially concerning their age. At times, it looked like they were just too old to keep up with some teams.

They certainly shut me up.

Perhaps the two most shocking things to me that they improved on were the transition game and their offensive productivity. Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have all been playing better since the All-Star break, which is great news for the team.

Not only have the main guys been performing better, but so has the bench for the Celtics. Brandon Bass is averaging a respectable 12 points per game and six rebounds. Chris Wilcox was starting to be a factor for the Celtics, before being diagnosed with an enlarged aorta.

The Celtics do have talent that are hot as of late and could carry that momentum into the playoffs, especially Rajon Rondo. If he can bring some of his triple-doubles and command the game, the Celtics should have no problem getting to the championship.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are a team that actually doesn't have the most talent, but has amazing depth to their positions.

Starting with the point guard position, they have Darren Collison, who dishes out 10 points per game with five assists. Behind him, they have two very capable backups in George Hill and Leandro Barbosa, who both average about 10 points per game. 

Guard Paul George has played very well this season, averaging 12 points per game and five rebounds. While this position lacks some depth, George is capable enough to carry it.

The most well known man on the team is Danny Granger, who has become an amazing small forward for the Pacers—he averages 18 points per game with five rebounds and is very efficient. He makes most of his plays from the perimeter.

If Granger is playing fantastic at the perimeter, then Roy Hibbert is the monster down low. Hibbert is one of the more premier centers in the league, considering he averages 13 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game.

Add in some nice complements like David West and Tyler Hansbrough (both are reliable scorers and rebounders), and you have one of the deepest teams in the NBA.

While some may be shocked at postseason success for the Pacers, I will be watching and saying "I told you so."

Atlanta Hawks

Being in the same division as the Heat and Magic, it is hard to really get attention. That is why the Hawks are another big dark horse to look out for.

Atlanta's big strength is their big guys Josh Smith, Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia. All are very athletic and efficient for their positions.

While Horford may be injured, it was clear how good of a player he was before. He hopes to make it back in time for the playoffs, which the Hawks will greatly appreciate. Before he tore his pectoral muscle, he was averaging 12 points per game and 10 rebounds.

Pachulia stepped in quite nicely in the absence of Horford with eight points per game and eight rebounds. If Horford does come back in time, Pachulia could be a very valuable bench piece.

When we talk about how good these guys are, Josh Smith is the one who really stands out. Smith gets 18 points per game, 10 rebounds and two steals. That is the definition of a productive player. He also provides a very dominant big man for Joe Johnson to pass to.

Johnson needs to find consistency to really be a great piece for this team, but when he is hot, he is on fire. While he averages 19 points per game, four assists and four rebounds, he is capable of much more. This week's Utah game is a prime example.

If Johnson can be as good as he was versus the Jazz, the Hawks will surprise people.

Memphis Grizzlies

Sure, I am a fan of the Grizzlies, but try and argue that they shouldn't be here. Seriously, try.

I don't want to rabble on, so I'll just give you the straight facts: the Grizzlies are loaded with talent and decent depth that is used for an aggressive defense and reliable offense. 

Rudy Gay is the star small forward, averaging 19 points per game, seven rebounds and two steals. He is the leader of this team that has finally got his groove back after some early struggles. Expect him to explode in the postseason.

Marreese Speights is filling in for Zach Randolph, which is just what the Grizzlies need. Randolph was sidelined due to injury, so Speights getting playing time is great for the team, especially if they need impact off the bench. Speights hasn't been amazing (nine points per game with six rebounds), but he does provide value as a backup to Randolph. After all, it was Randolph who performed amazing for the Grizzlies in last year's playoff run.

Center Marc Gasol was elected to the All-Star game this year after performing very well for Memphis. He hasn't stopped since. He has career highs in points per game with 16, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He is the mainstay of this ferocious Grizzlies defense that is No. 1 in both steals per game and forced turnovers per game.

Mike Conley and Tony Allen are both great guards who are constantly snatching the ball out of guys' hands and capitalizing on it. Conley and Allen are both first and second in steals per minute respectively, which they use to lead Memphis to nearly 20.1 points off turnovers, good for second in the league.

Add in valuable bench piece O.J. Mayo, and this team is set for a deep run in the playoffs. After all, they did it last year by beating the Spurs and pushing the Thunder to seven games. They didn't even have their star player Rudy Gay.

I am expecting big things from this Grizzlies team. They have the depth and skill to win it all. They just need to use it.