Derrick White Has Best Reason For Missing Celtics-Heat Game 2

No one can fault Derrick White for missing Game 2 of the Celtics-Heat series.

C’s head coach Ime Udoka revealed Thursday at a press conference White will miss Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals because his wife is having a baby, and he’s traveling from Miami to Boston to join her. Shortly after the Celtics initially listed White as “out” due to “personal reasons,” Udoka confirmed the good news.

“Derrick is having a baby,” Udoka said at a press conference, as seen in video NBC Sports Boston shared via Twitter. “Came sooner than expected, but we support our guys as always in that situation, and (he) had to rush up (to Boston) today.”

White started Game 1 at point guard because Marcus Smart was absent due to a foot injury. With White on the way to Boston to be with his family, Smart, whom the Celtics listed as probably Thursday, is expected to return to the lineup so long as he passes a pregame fitness test.

Game 2 is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday at FTX Arena. The White-less Celtics are looking to even the series at 1-1.