5 REASONS THE CELTICS CAN REPEAT

Paul Pierce turned his back to the hoop and jogged back down court, joyously yelling and skipping in the air. The Celtics captain and reigning NBA Finals MVP had just hit a beautiful fallaway jumper over Al Horford to give Boston a 103-102 lead with half a second left. The C's did of course hold on to win by that score, knocking off the pesky Hawks and handing them their first L of the season.

Last nights Celtics game demonstrated the passion and desire to win that everybody knows this C's club has. The Garden was rocking like it was mid-June, and when Pierce hit the shot it nearly brought the house down. The building's atmosphere was tremendous, and the TD Banknorth Garden can be a damn near impossible place to play on the road in the playoffs. But what else makes this Celtics group so special? Here are five reasons that the Celtics have a shot to repeat as NBA Champions:

1. Defense
The Celtics defense last season was one of the best all-time. Despite losing James Posey in free agency to the New Orleans Hornets, Boston's defense should be at the top of the league again this year. Kevin Garnett is the perfect player to remind the team of it's defensive priorities. So far this year, the Celts have posted a Defensive Efficiency Rating of 92.1, second to only the undefeated Lakers (88.9). The C's are giving up a measly 88.4 points per game, again second only to the Lakers 86.7. And Boston is tops in the NBA in opponents field goal percentage (38.9%), meaning they force other teams to take difficult and oftentimes contested shots.

2. Desire
It's pretty clear from watching this team that complacency won't be a problem. Not only will the Big Three not let them relax, but the entire roster of players is up to the challenge of having the target on their back. Even early in the season when teams are looking to see exactly how they measure up to the rest of the field, the Celtics are all about picking up those W's. After a disappointing loss in Indiana last week, the C's rebounded well, posting big road wins against Western contender Houston and Eastern powerhouse Detroit. Then they came home and beat Atlantic division rival Toronto (despite a slow start), and the previously undefeated Hawks.

3. Scoring
The Celtics have been mediocre at best to start this season on the offensive end of the floor. So why will that help them raise banner number 18? Because at some point, they will hit their stride. So far, the Green are 21st in the NBA in points per game (94.4), 14th in field goal percentage (44.1), and second to last in three point percentage (27.1). That means a team with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Eddie House is struggling big time to hit shots from deep, yet they are 8-1 on the season.

4. Who's Gonna Stop Them?
Seriously. The East is no doubt more talented than last year, but which teams in the conference have a legitimate shot to deny the Celtics a chance at back to back titles? Detroit and Cleveland are the only two that really come to mind. Detroit could be shaky. They haven't really meshed since acquiring AI, and Rip Hamilton looks lost out there. While the (possible) return of Antonio McDyess will give their bench a huge lift, the lack of a true point guard could hurt them come June. Cleveland added Mo Williams to run the point, but he is really the only addition to the Cavs' rotation this season. On opening night, the Celtics knocked off Cleveland 90-85 in an emotional win at the Garden. The team received their rings from last season's run to the top, and Paul Pierce had tears in his eyes right up until tipoff. The team came out flat and had no flow offensively. And they won. Besides Detroit and Cleveland, no teams in the East are good enough to eliminate Boston. The Celtics essentially have a one in three shot to reach the NBA Finals once again.

5. Rest
Now in the second year of the Big Three, the Celtics know what it takes to win in the playoffs. Last year's team played the most post season games in NBA history. This time around, they will be even more ready in preparing for a playoff run. I expect the starters to play a little less close to the end of the regular season, and the team should be more willing to hold players out of the lineup just to be safe in resting various injuries and ailments throughout the year. One more year of experience means the Celtics know what they need to do to raise number 18 next year.