How Ime Udoka Thought Derrick White Fared In Celtics’ Debut Vs. Nuggets

Celtics’ newly acquired guard Derrick White surpassed expectations in his Boston debut Friday night, helping the team that traded for him at the NBA deadline to a hard-fought win over the Denver Nuggets.

It was especially noteworthy given that White was preparing as if he’d be playing his next game with the San Antonio Spurs, where he spent the previous four-plus seasons, before learning of the trade to Boston on Thursday. Some 24 hours later White was meeting with Celtics head coach Ime Udoka prior to taking the floor at TD Garden for the first time.

Udoka, who previously coached White while serving as an assistant with the Spurs, was thrilled with how the guard performed in his Celtics debut — a 108-102 victory over the Nuggets.

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“We showed him some film and got him acclimated as quickly as we could, and he did what he’s done, what I’ve seen him do in the past,” Udoka told reporters after the game, per the team. “He’s a very smart player that does a lot of things very well.

“We don’t miss a beat with him out there,” Udoka added. “Space, defensive ability, shooting ability, simple things like running to corners and spacing — things that have been ingrained in him and been drilled, and that carried over tonight.”

White played fast, too, helping Boston run the floor and get out in transition. He finished Saturday’s game with 15 points, six rebounds and two assists in a noteworthy 28 minutes, which was the most of any of Boston’s three players to come off the bench. White shot 50% from the field while converting three of his seven attempts from long range. White, whose father is a Boston sports fan, also made a key three-point play with two minutes left in the contest.

Udoka surely will hope White can continue to do much of the same when the 32-25 Celtics host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday afternoon.