The One Thing That Could Derail Each NBA Contender in the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs are two weeks away, and things are getting real. In the East, the Detroit Pistons have already clinched a playoff berth with their eyes on the conference's No. 1 seed. Out West, Victor Wembanyama just locked in his first playoff appearance with the San Antonio Spurs, while the Oklahoma City Thunder, sitting just ahead of San Antonio, are hunting to repeat as NBA champs. But here's the thing: every single one of these contenders has a weakness that could absolutely sink them come May and June. ESPN's insiders broke down the kryptonite for the top 10 Finals contenders, and the results are... well, they're telling.

Detroit's 3-Point Problem

Let's start with the Pistons, the East's best hope so far. Yeah, they clinched a playoff berth and have a 77.6% chance to make the East semifinals, but there's a glaring issue nobody can ignore: they can't shoot the three ball. The Pistons are ranked 29th in 3-point attempts and 28th in makes. Meanwhile, the Knicks, Celtics, and Hornets (the other serious contenders in the East) are all top 10 in makes. That's not a coincidence. Detroit is banking on their defense creating offense and Cade Cunningham's brilliance in the half court, but in a playoff grind? That feels fragile. ESPN analyst Zach Kram says the Celtics and Knicks are the teams you really don't want to see in the playoffs because they both have top-five defenses built around letting teams fire away from deep. The Celtics and Knicks lead all playoff teams in opponents' 3-point attempt rate at 45% of shots. If Detroit can't capitalize on those opportunities, it's going to be a brutal offensive slog.

Boston's Fast-Break Drought

The Celtics clinched their playoff spot with a 72% chance to make the East semifinals, but their weakness is almost the opposite of Detroit's. Boston ranks dead last in fast-break points per game at 11.4. Yeah, the game slows down in the playoffs, but this is still a concern. The good news for Boston: Jayson Tatum's return has been encouraging so far, even if it's come in fits and starts after his Achilles tear. If Tatum can get fully healthy, that could help offset some of those fast-break scoring woes.

The Thunder's Title Hopes

The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to repeat as NBA champions, but every contender has something to exploit. Whether it's the Spurs, the Celtics, or anyone else in the field, the playoffs are a different animal. Two weeks out, we're about to find out who has the right roster composition to weather their weaknesses and who comes up short when it matters most.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.