NBA Playoffs 2013: Analyzing Most Important Role Players for Each Remaining Team

The climax of the NBA playoffs is nearing, with the San Antonio Spurs having already punched their ticket to the championship series and awaiting the winner of the series between the Indiana Pacers and defending champion Miami Heat.

There is plenty of star power in South Beach, the Spurs' own veteran trio refuses to go away and Paul George is blossoming into a star before our eyes in Indiana.

What will ultimately determine the outcome of the remainder of the postseason, though, are the vital role players for these respective squads.

Below is a closer look at the slightly less heralded contributors whose impact will be the finishing touches on the playoff portrait.

Indiana Pacers: PG George Hill

When Hill missed a game in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks with a concussion, the Pacers were completely discombobulated on offense in an 85-75 loss.

The fluidity and efficiency of Indiana's offense heavily depends on Hill's ability to facilitate, penetrate and make the proper plays while also providing valuable outside shooting.

In the postseason, the Pacers are shooting an abysmal 32.4 percent from beyond the arc, which makes it extremely difficult to win. Granted, they have been facing formidable defensive units such as the Knicks and Heat lately, but it's 2.3 percent down from their regular season number.

ESPN's Skip Bayless highlighted how inconsistent Hill can be at times, but also noted how Hill showed his clutch ability by closing out Game 2 in the Miami series:

Hill needs to maintain a consistent level of play while also neutralizing the effectiveness of Heat counterparts Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers—not to mention San Antonio's Tony Parker, should Indiana reach the next round.

Point guard is an absolutely stacked position in the league right now, and Hill is not quite part of the upper echelon. He must outplay his Heat counterparts for the Pacers to have any chance at the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

San Antonio Spurs: C Tiago Splitter

Tim Duncan is still getting it done at age 37, but that somewhat overshadows how good Splitter has been—particularly on defense.

Splitter's ability to help, contest shots in the lane and effectively navigate pick-and-roll situations are a big reason why San Antonio was able to sweep a very good Memphis Grizzlies squad. The Grizzlies boasted the stoutest defense in the NBA during the regular season.

Memphis' Zach Randolph is one of the premier post players in the game, and even in one-on-one matchups with Splitter, the Spurs' big man frequently shut him down.

Check out how much Splitter and Co. took Z-Bo out of his rhythm early on, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Though he's not an offensive powerhouse by any means, Splitter shoots proficiently and is the perfect cog to clean up on the boards and allow the offensive stars around him to thrive.

If the Pacers wind up being the Spurs' opponent in the NBA Finals, the onus will be on Splitter to shut down the likes of Roy Hibbert and David West, both of whom have been dominant at certain points in the playoffs.

Should it be the Heat, Splitter gives San Antonio a massive edge on the inside. It will make life difficult for elite slashers LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to penetrate, and will bother the more perimeter-oriented Chris Bosh, whom Splitter can chase out to 15 feet from the basket if he's guarding him.

Miami Heat: C/PF Chris Andersen

The only true counter the Heat have to the exceptional size of the Pacers and the Spurs' big men is, well, Birdman.

Andersen is an absolute spark plug coming off the Heat bench, providing direly needed size on the front line to pick up easy points, run the floor effectively and wreak havoc in the post.

There is nothing finesse about Andersen's game. His gritty style and his colorful appearance in terms of on-court antics and that massive, inked-up frame make him truly unique.

Very quietly, Andersen is averaging just a shade under eight points per contest for the Heat while shooting a ridiculous 85.4 percent from the floor. In fact, he hasn't missed a shot in the Indiana series, as Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD.com points out:

Those field goals are primarily dunks and layups, but Andersen is averaging more than Chalmers, Cole, Udonis Haslem, Shane Battier and Mike Miller.

If that type of sleeper production on offense continues and Andersen's fellow supporting role players pick up the slack, Miami shouldn't lose another playoff game. However, it's also important that Andersen continues crashing the glass and playing tough inside against Hibbert and West.

Otherwise, the Heat may be in for a surprise exit before they even get to defend their title.