BOSTON — It only took five games, but Derrick White has finally arrived to the Eastern Conference finals.
White, who had been one of the Celtics’ most consistent players throughout the regular season, saw his fair share of struggles throughout Boston’s second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers and conference finals matchup with the Miami Heat. The 28-year-old averaged just 9.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in his 10 games prior to the C’s win in Game 5 on Thursday night — a game in which he totally flipped the script.
White scored a game-high 24 points to help keep the Celtics’ season alive, chipping in three rebounds, two steals and an assist in the series-changing effort. His ability to step up when Boston needed him most was something that didn’t go unnoticed, by nearly anyone.
“(He’s a) big-time player who made big-time, big-time shots tonight,” Jaylen Brown said. “D-White came ready to play, as soon as they gave him any space he let it fly and he got hot from downtown — not just on offense but on defense, his aggressiveness is key. They try to put him in matchups at times, and his ability to be able to block shots, chase guys of shooters, guard the best player, get out in transition and sink shots, that’s key for our team.”
White matched up up on the defensive end against the likes of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson and Caleb Martin, who are four players who play four very different offensive styles to the table. He stuck in and had success in each matchup, which is what Celtics fans came to expect following his regular season but were missing in the postseason.
“I mean, D-White was second-team All-Defense this year for a reason,” Jayson Tatum said postgame. “He’s a big part of our team, our identity, the things we try to do on the defensive end. He’s a very smart basketball player on both ends, and his awareness and his instincts showed tonight.”
