Ranking Most Volatile Teams Still Alive in 2013 NBA Playoffs

Volatility at one's place of work is a product of stress, conflict and opportunity.

For NBA players and teams, the playoffs provide all those things in abundance.

Expectations are at an all-time high, which leads to stress and confrontation on a big stage. The playoffs are a time for teams and individuals to prove themselves worthy of their lot in the league. This is mostly where rivalries stem from.

On top of the general large-men-with-opposing-goals-locked-into-small-spaces identity of the NBA, playoff time adds the metaphor of playing for one's life. If you fail to win a series, you are sent home and your season, which has been your life for a year, is done as well.

Those factors weigh on the minds of players every day. When another person or team gets into the way of achieving your daily goals, confrontation arises and sparks fly in a powder keg of high-strung, powerful men.

Most of these teams will be feeling somewhat backed into a corner by their current opponent, which is always prime time for them to lash out.

At this point of the postseason for some teams, it really is now or never.

No. 8 Oklahoma City Thunder

Tensions get higher when friends get hurt.

Russell Westbrook has played his last game this postseason, and the reasoning is murky at best. The Oklahoma City Thunder went up 2-0 in the series, but will be without their second-leading scorer from here on out.

There is a grey area with the unwritten rule about going for a steal when a team is obviously moving to call a timeout. As Westbrook moved the ball across half court in the second quarter, Houston Rockets rookie Patrick Beverley tried to jump him for a steal before he could signal for the timeout.

Instead, Beverley bumped Westbrook's leg, tearing his meniscus in the process. Westbrook was visibly upset with the play, but it wasn't known to what extent he was hurt until after the game.

His teammates had a couple days to take in exactly what happened and what the consequences would be for their team moving forward. This also gave them time to build up some extra aggression for Game 3.

In that third game, Kendrick Perkins didn't take long to send a message. He let Beverley know his feelings with a hard screen on the opening possession.

Though the Rockets were unable to get back into the series, up 3-0, the Thunder may still be playing with some extra vitriol for the remainder of this series.

No. 7 Golden State Warriors

Despite losing David Lee for the remainder of the postseason, things are going pretty well for the Golden State Warriors. 

A big Game 3 victory puts them up 2-1 in the series against the Denver Nuggets. However, there is still a sliver of a chance for some volatility coming out Golden State.

Obviously losing such a major player will weigh on a team's psyche, especially when he was so well-liked. The Warriors are no stranger to conflict either, getting into a sizable incident with the Indiana Pacers earlier this year. They do not take well to being pushed around.

Other factors weighing on the Warriors as they move on in the series are their coach and fans. Mark Jackson is one of the more player-involved coaches in the league. He feels that he is a part of the team fabric and will do whatever it takes to get the best out of his guys.

The fans in Oakland are some of the best in the league. They watched their Warriors usurp home-court advantage from the Nuggets and will be out in force to help them keep it in Game 4. Should things go awry, however, Warriors fans are not big on sugar coating.

Even without Lee, there are some tough guys on this roster. Jarrett Jack is an enforcer, no matter what his height and weight say.

The Warriors are a tight-knit group of young players, and they will defend one another on the floor.

No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks

If there is any team in the postseason that has nothing to lose, it is the Milwaukee Bucks.

As the No. 8 seed in the weaker conference, they were tasked with battling the juggernaut Miami Heat in the first round. Through three games, the Bucks have yet to put up a full-game fight. They've tested the Heat for a quarter or a half, but seem to always fade away.

With Game 4 looming, the Bucks are dangerous. They've got a couple of cocky guards, in Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, who are capable of getting under the skin of any opponent. They've also got a few physical enforcers in Larry Sanders and Samuel Dalembert, who are ready and willing to do battle with the Heat.

They will be fighting for their playoff lives and to see another day on Sunday. Perhaps the only way they can have a chance at extending their season is to get physical with the Heat.

One thing is for sure: They'll be out to prove that no matter what the series looks like, they are not afraid of the Miami Heat.

No. 5 Los Angeles Lakers

Anytime you have the league's biggest powder keg on a team that is trailing 3-0 and getting embarrassed nightly, you have the potential for a volatile situation.

Metta World Peace is still on the Los Angeles Lakers, and until that fact changes, they have to be a concern for potential incidents. Given how badly his team has been outplayed in this series, tempers could be at a high point in Game 4. 

The Los Angeles crowd isn't going to help anyone stay calm, as they will be out in force ready to boo their team if the sweep is imminent. 

It has been a frustrating year for the Lakers, and when Kobe Bryant went down just before the postseason, things got exponentially more sensitive.

With plenty of big bodies and bigger personalities, the Lakers are an interesting study as their first-round series continues.

No 4 Memphis Grizzlies

History, familiarity and competition are major factors weighing on whether the Memphis Grizzlies are going to be a volatile team.

While a bunch of the first-round series this year seem to be lopsided, the Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers are knotted at 2-2. Both team have superbly defended their home court, and the series shifts back to L.A. on Tuesday.

The Grizzlies boast a defense that is on par with the best in the league in terms of physicality. They feature a few bruising interior forces, including the always dangerous Zach Randolph. Memphis is rarely afraid to mix it up, no matter the opponent. 

That the opponent is the Clippers only adds to the possibilities. Los Angeles was responsible for ending Memphis' season a year ago. They took their opening-round series in seven games, sending the Grizzlies packing for another year.

That series was the exact knock-down, drag-out style that breeds volatility. Only two of the 14 individual team scores were over 100, as are two of the eight so far in this series. 

Points are hard to come by with the Grizzlies, but some bumping, shoving and barking? That comes easy.

No. 3 Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers blew a chance to deliver a death blow to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of their playoff series. 

Instead, the Pacers have to return to Philips Arena up only 2-1 in the series. On top of that is the fact that they were embarrassed by Atlanta in Game 3, losing 90-69. The Hawks completely shut down Indiana in every way, as they were unable to score more than 20 points in any quarter.

There were also some minor fireworks in Game 3. Indiana star David West was growing frustrated with his offense and felt he was being slighted on some missed calls. After one such play, he tracked Al Horford down from behind and used his left hand to push the Hawks center to the floor.

A few of Horford's teammates took exception, and things looked to be getting hairy for a moment. West was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul, while Jeff Teague's retaliation earned him a technical. Three Hawks were given technicals in Game 2 as well.

The Pacers are no stranger to physical play spilling over into something more. They have one of the most physically intimidating defenses the league has to offer. There was also the incident that took place with the Golden State Warriors earlier this season, for example.

The Pacers are a fiery team, with the brawn to back it up.

No. 2 Boston Celtics

There are few things more volatile than a proud animal on its last legs.

That is exactly what the Boston Celtics are at this moment. They've been knocked down three straight times by the New York Knicks and now have nothing to lose.

Game 4 seems primed for some real fire from the Celtics, who were embarrassed in their first home playoff game Friday night. 

On top of this being their last chance to avoid a humiliating sweep, the Celtics and Knicks have some recent history of hatred and volatility. Of course there was the Carmelo Anthony-Kevin Garnett feud earlier in the season.

More recently, J.R. Smith took an elbow swipe that connected with Jason Terry's chest and chin in Game 3. He was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and was ejected from the game. The NBA also ruled that Smith will be suspended from Game 4 of the series.

Terry should have some extra incentive to play well and play physical. The rest of his teammates will be right there with him.

No. 1 Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets, like the other teams just one game from elimination, are feeling up against the wall. 

Unlike those other teams, they are dealing with numerous other factors. For one, they are the higher seed in the series. Dropping Game 2 at home threw a monkey wrench into their plans, and now they're reeling from three straight losses.

Being the favorite in a series against a team which is already playing without their best player puts a lot of pressure on the favorite. The Nets have to deal with returning home to a game at the Barclays Center after largely letting their fans down.

The emotional shift Brooklyn has gone through, from Game 1 to Game 5, is vast. After falling so far from the the grace of a Game 1 blowout victory, tempers and stress will be high on Monday night.

The Nets have a few guys with volatile pasts. Both Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace have both gotten into altercations this season. 

The opponent could also play into the Nets' chances for volatility. The Chicago Bulls represent one of the most physical teams in the league.

Brooklyn's desperation, combined with Chicago's physicality and an angry crowd, could lead to fireworks in this series.