BOSTON — Celtics guard Derrick White dusted his hands off in Miami after dropping a career-high 38 points in Game 4 and got right back to work once the Heat desperately searched for a fighting chance to extend the series in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
As Kristaps Porzingis remained sidelined with a right soleus strain, and Miami hunted for a Game 6 on its home floor, White ensured the Heat would get a head start on their offseason plans in Boston’s 118-84 series-clincher at TD Garden. White was the primary aggressor in the first quarter, scoring 15 points while going 3-for-4 from 3-point range to lead a 41-point opening frame and give the Celtics an 18-point lead — the start of a scoring gap only grew until the final buzzer sounded.
“He was super important,” Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum said. “Whatever they were trying to take away from other guys, that allowed him to free himself up and be aggressive, and be in attack mode throughout the series. He’s making the right play, he was shooting the ball extremely well. Obviously playing well on defense as he always does. So he’s just in a really good flow and rhythm right now and hopefully it continues to stay that way.”
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White finished with 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting, knocking down five threes and grabbing five rebounds to finish a plus-17.
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It’s easy to attribute White’s back-to-back All-Star-caliber showings to the untimely absence of Porzingis, however, the veteran guard didn’t force anything. White attacked the basket twice in the first quarter and fired away from beyond the arc when teammates created open looks for him.
“I think that’s when I’m at my best is when I’m having fun out there. Just having fun with my teammates,” White said. “Whatever it might be. If I’m supporting them, if they’re supporting me; it means everything to me. Just out there having fun, messing around, but also realizing that this is a big moment we’re all locked in too.”
The Celtics won three straight games to eliminate Miami, holding the Heat to less than 90 points each time. It didn’t matter who was on the floor or what physical antics Miami tried pulling to throw Boston off its A-game. Rather than allowing the Heat to dictate the momentum throughout the night, the Celtics utilized their significantly superior talents to make an example of Miami.
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White, as he’s done routinely throughout the season, had a big hand in that; pressuring Miami’s perimeter source of scoring to help force mistakes.
“I thought the players brought a high level of maturity to the details,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “And then also understanding the theme of the series was physicality, and having to win the shot margin. It was the staff and it was the guys (buying) into that.”
Featured image via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
