Before the Boston Celtics took down the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault had high praise for Celtics guard Derrick White. Daigneault noted, “There are certain guys that get labeled as role players but they execute the role so well that they ascend out of that category.
He's one of them… He's one of the elite guys in those roles. He's been a connective tissue for them in terms of the success they've had.”
This isn't the first time White's been singled out for his contributions. Just a few weeks back, Cleveland Cavaliers' head coach Kenny Atkinson even called him a top-five player in the NBA. That's some serious recognition.
White has been a cornerstone for the Celtics this season, playing 68 games and averaging 17.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. With Jayson Tatum missing much of the season due to an Achilles injury, White has stepped up alongside Jaylen Brown, taking on a bigger offensive role.
Defensively, White has been as tenacious as ever, averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. He's had standout performances, including a 34-point game against the Spurs, a 28-point outing with six threes against the Rockets, and a career-high seven blocks in a win over the Jazz. While his shooting percentages-39.6 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from three-might not jump off the page, his 90.1 percent free-throw shooting shows his clutch ability at the line.
As the Celtics gear up for the playoffs, White's impact on both ends of the court continues to be a driving force for the team.