NBA Playoffs 2013: Biggest Weakness for Each Remaining Team

The five teams still in the NBA playoffs are all quite talented, but there are weaknesses that each team must work on fixing if they hope to take home the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

These remaining teams have some big names and solid scorers, but what are they lacking?  Each team has a weakness, and whether or not the opposing team exploits it will likely decide who will advance. 

Indiana Pacers: Lack of Bench Scoring

The Pacers boast a solid starting five that can all score and play solid defense.  Paul George has become the star player for the team, but the whole starting lineup has been playing very well.

While the starting five play well, they are lacking true scorers on the bench.

This team has been too consistent with scoring off of the bench all year.  Gerald Green and D.J. Augustin have finally showed some flashes, but other than that, the Pacers bench hasn’t made much of an impact.  Tyler Hansbrough has had some big games over the season, but during the playoffs he’s only averaged 4.5 points per game.

The absence of George Hill in Game 5 showed how badly this team needs its starters.  If one or two players get into foul trouble early, the team is in trouble.

Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade Is Hurting

There are few weaknesses on the Heat, and that’s why they’re the favorite to win in the NBA Finals.  The big problem right now is dealing with the injury concerns with Wade.

Wade has been dealing with a knee injury for some time now, and was day-to-day during the series against the Chicago Bulls.  He looked a bit better in Game 5 of that series, scoring 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting.  He also had a nice putback dunk late in the game, showing that maybe the knee isn’t too much of an issue.

Even with the big performance in his last game, the knee still has to be a concern.  Whomever the Heat play in the conference finals will likely attack Wade more aggressively than they would have if he were healthy.

Memphis Grizzlies: Three-Point Shooting

The Grizzlies have been winning playoff games thanks to solid defense and scoring in the frontcourt.  While those are two great strengths to have, this team isn’t doing much from long range.

So far in the playoffs, the team is only shooting 31.4 percent from downtown.  Only three players are shooting over 30 percent from behind the arc, with Quincy Pondexter leading the way shooting 42.9 percent.

The absence of a deadly three-point shooter could spell trouble for the Grizzlies as they go against the Spurs.  The Spurs match up well with the Grizzlies and their frontcourt, and that spells trouble for Memphis in the conference finals.

San Antonio Spurs: Dependence on the Three-Pointer

While the Grizzlies struggle shooting the three, the Spurs seem to depend heavily on it.  When the shots from long range aren’t going, this team tends to have problems.

During the playoffs, the Spurs have attempted 20.2 three-pointers per game.  On average, almost one in every four shots they take is a three-pointer.  When those shots aren’t falling, this team has issues.

A team with a feisty backcourt can give the Spurs a lot of trouble.  The Golden State Warriors were able to give them some trouble, but it wasn’t enough.  The Grizzlies will need to stay aggressive and keep contesting shots behind the arc in order to upset the Spurs.