Derrick White’s impact on Boston is no longer a mystery. Celtics supporters and the majority of the NBA community understand how important he is to their team’s success.
However, when you consider who takes over down the stretch in Boston, White is hardly the first name that springs to mind.
That makes sense given the Celtics’ roster, which includes two All-NBA players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, as well as two past All-Stars in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. On Monday night in Toronto, however, White once again came through in a clutch.
White scored 10 of the Celtics’ 21 points in the fourth quarter, including a stunning corner 3-pointer off a tricky pass from Jayson Tatum with 1:17 left to seal Boston’s 105-96 victory over the Raptors.
White doing the majority of his damage in the fourth quarter (10 of his 22 total points Monday night) is not unusual; about a third of his total scoring performance this season has come in the final frame, with him averaging 5.2 of his 15.9 points per game in the fourth.
“He’s an All-Star,” teammate Jrue Holiday told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin following Monday’s victory. “I believe that the things he accomplishes often go unrecognized. The way he plays, the way he leads this team, especially with (Jaylen Brown) out tonight.
“He made a tremendous shot there in the corner. “That is what D-White does.”
This season, White has impressed with his late-game performance. His 124.0 offensive rating and 13.7 net rating in the fourth quarter lead the Celtics and place him in the top ten among all NBA players who play at least eight fourth-quarter minutes per game. His 52.2 field goal percentage and 43.8 3-point percentage in the fourth quarter are both third on the C’s and in the top 20 among eligible NBA players.
If you narrow that down to “crunch time” (score within five points within the final five minutes), White’s numbers improve even more: He leads the Celtics with a 56.3 3-point percentage, ranks second with a 66.7 field goal percentage, and ranks third in clutch points per game (2.4), trailing only Tatum and Porzingis.
Many of White’s huge finishes have come with other stars out; he scored nine fourth-quarter points in a win against the Raptors last month, and he scored 10 of Boston’s 20 points in overtime against the Detroit Pistons to help the team win with Brown out.
However, even when the Celtics are at full strength, they rely on White to make big plays in crucial moments.
“His confidence and aggressiveness are extremely important,” head coach Joe Mazzulla stated following Monday’s game. “What was the word you used at the beginning? Affirming? I’m not sure if there’s a correlation to saying, ‘One of the Jays is out, now it’s Derrick’s turn.’ I believe this year has demonstrated that regardless matter who is gone, there is an expectation that everyone will stand up.”
White should continue to have opportunities to perform in key situations as opponents focus on Tatum and Brown. The figures show that he will continue to produce.
