The C stands for Cardiac Arrest

It's been a while since I've talked about my beloved C's, so let me start by saying this: I love the Nate Robinson trade. I don't want to toot my horn in back-to-back posts, however, I did call this way back. The guy is a spark plug off the bench. However, I digress. The Celtics are going to put me on cardiac arrest. And I'm a 22-year-old watching them from home. Imagine how the geriatric Celtic players must feel playing? HA! But in all seriousness, the Celtics have been keeping me on the edge of my seat recently. And that is by no means a good thing.

Kevin Garnett was embarrassed on his own court by Andray Blatche, who has been playing well but who is Andray Blatche? Blatche should be calling KG his daddy, not holding him to seven points on 0-7 shooting. Garnett just doesn't have that same pop that he did in '07 and years prior to that. It looks like he doesn't feel comfortable planting, driving, or putting any faith on that injured knee. And that's not the most frustrating part. The fans and he knows he can still play mentally, but physically the guy doesn't look like he could guard Grandpa JoJo at the local YMCA.

Without a healthy KG, our low-post defense is extremely vulnerable. Come playoff time the Celtics will have trouble with the East's elite bigs (i.e. Chris Bosh, Josh Smith, Al Horford, Dwight Howard).

While I may be boasting about my right predictions, I couldn't have been more wrong about the trade Ray Ray cries. Since the All-Star Break/trading deadline, Allen has been nothing short of Jesus Shuttlesworth; knocking down big shots in big spots, carrying the team on his back. With injuries to KG and Paul Pierce, he hasn't had much of a choice. Tonight alone, Allen nailed two huge threes at the end of the game--one to tie the game and the other to put the C's ahead with 27 seconds left.

Yes, the Celtics did at times look sluggish against an in-flux Wizards team, however there is a silver-lining. Just when the Celtics looked like they had given up and lost all momentum, they flipped a switch and won the game when the had to. It's the type of game that may measure how far they go in the playoffs because tonight reeked of a playoff game. The Celtics were talking their usual shit, and this time, they backed it up when their backs were against the wall.

This team may be old and fragile, but they can still bang with the boys. And while the rest of the league may not like the C's competitive swagger, I think it gives them a certain mystique. When the starting unit came back in for the final push, the gums started flapping, elbows were thrown, and eyebrows were lowered. And their swagger was at their highest after a Wizards turnover when KG swipes at the ball that Blatche is holding. Even though KG's attempt at the ball failed, center Kendrick Perkins was there to snatch the ball back. All this happened after the whistle. It's an attitude that more NBA teams should have: This is my house. This is my ball. I am not letting you have this ball in my house.

That's certainly the mind of a champion. The question is, do the Celtics have the body of a champion?