You know you're getting old when you can't pick up your own luggage. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Celtics are getting old.  Very old, in fact.  Not quite Dikembe Mutombo end-of-career old, but they are a creaky team that has earned plenty of frequent flier points over the years.

With age comes injuries.  Kevin Garnett has been hurt, and can’t seem to get fully healthy.  Paul Pierce, same thing.  Ray Allen is Jesus, so he’s mostly avoided the injuries, and Rasheed Wallace, well, he hasn’t been injured but we’re still praying for it.

And Michael Finley, the oldest of them all?  He revealed his age yesterday in his own hotel room, bending down to pick up luggage.  You see, professional athletes aren’t supposed to struggle to do normal things.  For a professional athlete, or anyone under the age of 75 who doesn’t have a severe injury or physical handicap, picking up luggage shouldn’t be a problem.  But Finley had some serious issues. (Boston Herald)

“It’s amazing. Eddie (Lacerte, the team trainer) called me today because he didn’t think Mike could play because he strained his back in his room picking up luggage,” Rivers said. “That’s when you know you’re old. Mike went out and warmed up and said he was great.”

Finley said he wouldn’t have even been able to play without Lacerte’s aid.

“A freak accident, but with the magic hands of Ed Lacerte I was able to play,” Finley said. “If the game would have started at 3 (p.m.) I probably wouldn’t have played. Ed worked on me, I went out and shot around and I was able to play.”

Lacerte must be Mr. Miyagi or something.  Finley went from not being able to play to playing his best game of the season and stealing crunch-time minutes from Paul Pierce.  Wax on, wax off.

As well as Finley-san played, I suggest he call a bellhop next time.