First to the Floor podcast: what’s real and what’s fake with the Celtics’ hot start

Nov 30, 2022 - 1:00 PM

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Incredible offense, hot shooting, role player production, and good vibes have the Celtics sitting atop the NBA at 17-4. In this episode, the First to the Floor crew breaks down what’s real and what’s fake about the C’s hot start. Let us know in the comments which of these you think is real, and which you think is ready for some regression.

Literally the Best Offense of All Time. You’ve probably heard this, but the Celtics have a gaudy offensive rating of 120.9, 5 points per 100 possessions better than the second place Suns. That’s good for the best ever, but how long can they keep it up?

An Average Defense. On the flip side, the C’s sit at 14th in defensive rating after powering their incredible second half last season with a historically stingy defense. Are the Celtics truly a mediocre defensive team, or will they tighten the clamps as the season goes on?

The Vibes, man. Blake Griffin dunking. The Kornish Game Hen. Malcolm Brogdo

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

n single handily convincing the Jays Boston is the best organization in basketball. Can the vibes stay this good all year?

Derrick White, Lethal Shooter. Derrick White has seemingly absorbed Ray Allen’s shooting ability ala the Monstars from Space Jam. He’s going to regress, but how far?

Jayson Tatum, not so Lethal Shooter. Tatum is down to 34.7% from three after a hot start to the season. Common JT early season struggles, or should we be worried?

The Kornet Eclipse Actually Working. Luke Kornet has been contesting 3-point shooters from about 12 feet away for the entire season now. The craziest part is that it’s working. Teams are shooting just 3 for 12 against the “Eclipse.” I mean, this is crazy, right?

Al Horford’s Production. 11-6-2.6 on 48.7% from 3 (somehow not a typo, 48.7%!) for the timeless Al Horford. Can Al continue to keep Father Time at bay this season?

Marcus Smart, Top-10 Assist Man. Marcus Smart is 8th in the league in assists! As the point guard of literally the best offense of all-time, is he destined to stay there?

Sam Hauser, Kind of Decent at Defense. Sam Hauser has held his own against most teams defensively this season. Teams are clearly targeting, but he’s holding up just fine. How long can we expect Sam to keep it up?

Jayson Tatum, Better than Giannis at the Rim. That’s not an exaggeration, he’s actually finishing in the restricted area better than Giannis so far this season at an absurd 76.1%. There’s no chance Giannis catches him right?

We touch on most of these in the show as well as take a victory lap after the Hornets game and discuss the underrated impact of the Al Horford for Kemba trade. Finally, we wrap up by taking a look at the challenge ahead as the Cs take on the Heat twice before heading out west.