NBA Playoffs 2012 Predictions: Underrated Teams That Will Make Deep Runs

It's officially crunch time with the NBA playoffs just a couple weeks away. Teams are jockeying to lock in their seed and resting key players whenever they get a chance after a hectic regular season. The postseason should only add to the chaos.

Let's take a look at three underrated teams that will survive longer in the playoffs than most people are expecting. The lack of pressure will actually help these teams succeed.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are used to being overlooked and actually prefer it. When people say they are too old and fragile to contend, it only adds more fuel to their fire. Even though they are currently the Western Conference's second-best team, few people are talking about them raising another banner.

San Antonio continues to thrive because of its depth. Everybody knows about the terrific trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but 10 other players also scored in the team's victory over the Suns on Saturday. And nobody played more than 24 minutes.

Thanks to a perfect distribution of minutes throughout the regular season, Gregg Popovich's players should have plenty of gas left in the tank for a playoff run. Don't be surprised if they end up being the conference's representative in the NBA Finals.

Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis was a popular sleeper team heading into the season after its strong showing in last year's playoffs, but the bandwagon emptied due to inconsistent play. Now that the Grizzlies are flying under the radar again, they become a dangerous opponent.

Zach Randolph has struggled on the offensive end since returning from injury, mostly because he's still working his way back into game shape. He should be clicking on all cylinders by playoff time, giving Memphis two key post players and an advantage in the paint.

When you add in Rudy Gay, Mike Conley and sixth man O.J. Mayo, it's easy to see why the Grizzlies received so much hype before the season. They are a serious threat in the Western Conference.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics are another veteran team enjoying a resurgence. Ever since the trade-deadline frenzy that saw the rumor mill float just about every Boston star onto the market, the Celtics have banded together and looked like a legitimate threat to the Bulls and Heat.

One of the major reasons for the turnaround has been Brandon Bass. The veteran big man has carved out a niche for himself alongside Kevin Garnett, picking up four double-doubles this month after recording just three prior to April.

Since the Eastern Conference lacks depth, the Celtics shouldn't have much trouble reaching the conference semifinals, which seemed like a pipe dream a couple months ago. And if the Bulls or Heat don't take them seriously, the journey will extend even further.