It hasn't taken long for the Boston Celtics' starting five to develop strong chemistry despite the new faces in the lineup.
Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have made a smooth transition to Boston's starting lineup, joining two All-NBA players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, as well as an All-Defensive team guard in Derrick White.
This group can score from anywhere on the floor, defend at a high level and push the pace in transition. The New York Knicks were the latest team to find out just how effective the C's starting lineup can be Monday night. Boston's starters scored 95 points, led by Tatum's season-high 35, in a 114-98 victory at TD Garden.
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Stephen A. Smith said Tuesday on ESPN's First Take that the Celtics are still his pick to win the Eastern Conference, and their starting lineup is among the primary reasons for that optimism.
"Well no surprise there. They are a better team than the New York Knicks, we all know that," Smith said. "Jayson Tatum is a superstar in this league, we all know that. Did we know that the Celtics' starting five is outscoring their opponents by 39 points per 100 possessions? This is the most lethal starting five in the NBA. By the way, they're also the leading rebounding team in the league. The Celtics are legit. They're my favorites to come out of the East and go to the Finals for a reason, and last night was the latest example of why."
The Celtics rank No. 2 in the league in points per game from starters (95), No. 1 in starters' field goal percentage (49.5) and No. 1 in starters' net rating (13.7).
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One of the few average performances from the Celtics' starting five came last week in a 106-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on the road. The C's starters scored 87 points, including just 27 from Tatum and Brown combined.
The Celtics will have a chance to make up for that lackluster output Wednesday night when they travel back to Philly for another matchup versus the Sixers.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.