Getty Derrick White of the Boston Celtics.
Derrick White is known for doing all the little things. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown doing the bulk of the scoring for the Boston Celtics, White doesn’t have to fill up the points column in the box score. Instead, the scrappy White plays strong defense, blocks shots and gets steals.
Things were a little different for White on Tuesday, March 12, in a 123-107 victory over the Utah Jazz. The Celtics guard showed he can play with the big boys when it comes to shooting, knocking down seven 3-pointers. After the game, White told reporters he’d texted his dad before the game saying that he was “going to let it fly.”
“He text me all the time,” said White. “He said something about last game about the 3s looking better. I said I’m just going to let it fly, so that’s just what my mindset was.
“Just let it fly and don’t think about it. I was able to knock some down.”
Derrick White said he texted his dad before the game and said he’s “going to let it fly tonight”
He shot 7 for 11 from three against the Jazz
Derrick White Was Pivotal in Jaylen Brown’s Absence
White stepped up for the shorthanded Celtics, who played without Brown, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford on the second night of a back-to-back for the Celtics. They ended their five-game road trip with three straight wins to end the trip at 3-2.
“We just stayed with it, made plays, and it’s a good road win,” White told Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston.
This season, White has gone from an under-the-radar guard to a key part of arguably the best starting five in the NBA. Still, he has been overlooked.
But Brown called him the NBA’s most underrated player.
“I think Derrick White has been excelling his game at a rapid pace, so it’s been kind of hard for fans to keep up with,” Brown said at a February 17 All-Star Game press conference. “Derrick White can ball, man. You let him get hot, he can go for 30 any night. He can score the ball, guards, plays both sides. I’mma say Derrick White.”
White finished with 24 points against the Jazz, on 8-of-17 shooting, including 7-of-11 from 3-point range. Tatum led the team with the 38 points on 25 shots.
Jaylen Brown’s answer on the most underrated player shouldn’t surprise people. Although, I would argue he’s not underrated anymore
White Gave Plenty of Credit to the Celtics Bench
Playing without three of their top six players, the Celtics went on a 20-0 run in the third quarter to break open a two-point lead. Boston improved its NBA-best record to 51-14.
All five of Boston’s starters, including Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser, finished in double figures in scoring. Peyton Pritchard added 10 points off the bench, while newcomer Xavier Tillman added 7 points and 8 rebounds.
White was quick to point out the production of Boston’s bench.
“We’ve been saying it all year, but those guys put in a lot of work, and they’re always ready,” White told Chin. “Shout-out to everybody for staying ready. We’ve got a lot of trust in them, and they do so many little things for us.”
The Celtics head back home to face the Phoenix Suns on March 14. After losing the first two games on the road trip, the Celtics found themselves, but White said the goal remains the same.
“We’re just trying to get better each game,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve been on the road for a little bit, and we’re just trying to get better. We’re playing good teams and having fun with it.”