Derrick White’s shooting line last season told the story all by itself. In 77 games with the Celtics, he put up a career-high 16.5 points per night, but the efficiency cratered: 39.4% from the field, which was the worst mark of his career, and 32.7% from three, the second-worst of his career.
The playoffs didn’t offer much relief. In Boston’s first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, White averaged 11.1 points across seven games while shooting 32.1% overall, 27.3% from deep and 84.6% at the line. Even his 26-point outing in Game 7 came with 34.6/31.3% shooting splits.
There were reasons for the dip. White spent much of the season as Boston’s No. 2 scoring option because of Jayson Tatum’s absence, and that came on top of heavy defensive and playmaking duties.
He finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and made All-Defensive First Team for the first time in his career, but the workload clearly squeezed his scoring efficiency. When a player is asked to carry that much, something has to give, and in White’s case it was his shooting.
That’s why the Celtics may have something useful on their hands now. With Tatum back for a full season, Paul George in the mix, and Payton Pritchard potentially moving into the starting lineup, White shouldn’t be forced to shoulder nearly as much. That showed up in Boston’s latest preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets.
White scored 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including 1-for-2 from three, and added three rebounds, two assists and four steals in 20 minutes. The eye-catching part wasn’t just the total; it was how he got there. White attacked the basket repeatedly, working inside the arc on drives, layups and short pull-up jumpers.
He took fewer three-pointers than Tatum, George, Pritchard, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez and Neemias Queta, yet finished with the second-most points in the game. That kind of balance may be the better fit for him.
White wasn’t a big-volume three-point shooter before arriving in Boston anyway. Over parts of five seasons in San Antonio, he hit 34.4% from deep on 3.7 attempts per game. In Boston, the better roster around him opened up cleaner looks, but the Celtics may also get more mileage by letting him hurt teams in the lane instead of relying so heavily on his jumper.
Joe Mazzulla isn’t going to ban White from the perimeter, but Wednesday offered a clear reminder that there’s value in keeping him active inside the arc. If that approach sticks, it could be the path back to a much better season.
In Other News...
Bill Simmons Just Poured Cold Water On Sixers Hype
Philadelphias splashy roster makeover has turned plenty of heads this fall, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. On paper, it is the kind of star-packed group that can fuel big expectations before a single meaningful game is played, especially when the names involved carry the kind of cachet that can shift the conversation around the East.
Bill Simmons, though, was quick to pump the brakes on the hype, pointing to the different stages of those players careers as a reason for caution. Philadelphia has opened the preseason 1-2, including losses to the Nets and the Celtics, and Simmons skepticism leaves the bigger question hanging over the roster: whether all that talent actually fits well enough to look like a real postseason force. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Already Looks Like A Different Fit Next To Tatum
One preseason game was enough to give the Celtics a new conversation about how Jayson Tatum and Paul George might work together. Early returns suggested a cleaner, more natural fit on the wing, with George sliding into a complementary role that could ease the offensive load around Tatum and give Boston another high-level option who can create without crowding the same spaces.
Georges comfort alongside another star is part of why the matchup feels so intriguing. He has spent time in that kind of setup before, and the Celtics are already seeing how that background can translate into a different look next to Tatum, one that could sharpen the teams balance if the chemistry keeps building once the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Starting Lineup Battle May Not Be As Open As Expected
Joe Mazzulla may have created the outline of his opening night lineup sooner than expected. The Celtics have used the same starting five in consecutive games, with Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Walsh on the floor together, a grouping that suggests the coach is already leaning toward certain fits rather than treating every spot as a wide-open competition.
The biggest clues are in the middle and at the fifth starter spot, where Robinson and Walsh appear to be gaining traction over other options. Walsh, in particular, offers the kind of defensive edge and scheme versatility that can mesh with Bostons preferred style, which helps explain why he seems to be moving ahead of Payton Pritchard in that race while Robinson trends over Neemias Queta at center. [Read more 🡒]