Derrick White: The Boston Celtics X-Factor
On a team full of star players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White has emerged as one of the key pieces for the Boston Celtics. In their recent stretch of inconsistent play, White has been one of the indicators that determines results. If he has a good game, Boston looks good and usually wins. If he has a bad game, then the Celtics team suffers. This has been the case over Boston’s rough patch in January and in their last game against the Dallas Mavericks. Derrick White scored 23 points in a convincing 122-107 victory.
Derrick White In Losses
When the Celtics have lost games this season, their three-point shooting has been integral. Derrick White plays a large role here. While he is not a player who demands the ball like Tatum or Brown, he is a connecting piece. If Tatum is double-teamed or the defense collapses around Brown, White is one of the players waiting to relieve them with a catch-and-shoot three-pointer. But recently, those shots have not been falling. It can be demoralizing for a team to make the right passes and reads only for the shot to miss.
Against the Sacramento Kings, Derrick White shot 1-of-8 and 0-of-6 from three in a loss. In a loss to the Raptors, he shot 1-of-7 from three. In a recent loss against the Lakers, he only scored 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting. His three-point shooting is not the only cause for a Celtics loss, but it does not make things easier. It is more than just shooting luck.
At his best, Derrick White does the little things. Moving without the ball, making the extra pass. Winning plays that make the offense run smoother. During this losing stretch, the offense has often been stagnant, unlike the Celtics of last season. Thankfully, it has not been all bad.
White In Wins
In games where the Celtics have looked like their old selves, Derrick White has played well. At the start of January, they defeated the Timberwolves and the Rockets. In both games, White had 23 or more points and made at least five three-pointers. In another recent game against the Clippers, White struggled for the first three quarters, but hit a couple of huge shots in the fourth quarter and overtime to make a difference. It is clear that when his shots are falling, it takes a significant load off the shoulders of Tatum and Brown. This makes for a much smoother and more efficient offense.
That efficient offense was on display in an NBA Finals rematch versus the Mavericks. White scored 23 points, shooting 7-of-16 from the field and 4-of-10 from three. The game was a return to form, as White hit threes off the catch-and-shoot, peeling around screens, and got floaters to fall in the paint.
As a result, the entire Boston offense looked great. Every member of the starting five scored 15 or more points and the Celtics held a double-digit lead for almost the entire second half. Derrick White’s teammate, Kristaps Porzingis, felt the same way. After the game, in an interview with Jay King, Porzingis said, “We’re a different beast when D. White gets going.”
Final Thoughts
Derrick White looked great in the Celtics win over the Mavericks. After a rough stretch of .500 basketball, Boston went 3-1 on a West Coast road trip. Now, they return to the East Coast for more tough games until the All-Star break. The Celtics will need White to stay at this level if they want to right the ship and make a run at the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
