The Boston Celtics are the measure of all things in the current NBA season and the favorites for the championship. Coach Joe Mazzulla has three dazzling stars at his disposal: Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis. But with Derrick White he also has probably the most underrated player in the league in his ranks.
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
In the first playoff round against the Miami Heat, the guard played an average of 34 minutes in the five games and put up 22.4 points, 3.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds and one block. This made him the second best scorer on his team behind Brown (22.8 points). In the first playoff quarterfinal against the Cleveland Cavaliers, White was the Celtics’ second-best player with 25 points. According to StatMuse, the guard is the first player in over 20 years to have over 20 points, a shooting rate of over 55 percent, a three-point rate of over 50 percent and a free throw rate of over 90 percent in the playoffs.
A development that very few people expected at the beginning of his career. It took a long time for the San Antonio Spurs to make a move in the 2017 draft. He was drafted by the Texans as the 29th player, the second to last in the first selection round.
NBA: Monsterblocker Derrick White
But limiting White to just his offensive output would be fatal, as he is one of the best defenders in the entire league. It’s not for nothing that the 29-year-old was named to the second all-defensive team last season. With his height of 1.93 meters, White is one of the smaller players among basketball players. This makes him very maneuverable and agile in defense. Hardly any player consistently manages to shake off White.
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
Despite his size, the guard is a blocking monster. During the regular season, he averaged 1.2 blocks per game, 16th among all other NBA players. White is only the second player on the list behind Scottie Barnes who does not play the center position. The 29-year-old is one of ten players who have averaged at least one steal and one block in at least 60 games this season. He and Alex Caruso (Chicago Bulls) are the only two guards in this exclusive group.
“White has improved his game rapidly”
This defensive strength coupled with his offensive output made him an important factor for Boston in the playoffs so far during the 4-1 series win against Miami. After the first round, ESPN wrote of the guard: “White isn’t necessarily the Celtics’ best player, but he could be their most indispensable player.”
Derrick White and the Boston Celtics are looking to win their 18th NBA championship
The 29-year-old is not the center of attention due to the star trio’s charisma. He subordinates himself to the team, but knows exactly how he can help them. Teammate Jaylen Brown was asked on the sidelines of All-Star Weekend in February which NBA star is the most underrated player in the league. His answer: “I think White has improved his game at a rapid pace, making it hard for the fans to keep up. If he gets going, he can score 30 points every night. He can score, defend and play on both sides. I would say Derrick White.”
White: First bench player, now Swiss army knife
When he came to Boston via trade from the San Antonio Spurs two years ago, he was initially a reserve guard who sat on the bench behind Marcus Smart. Coach Mazzulla promoted him to the starting five after Smart’s departure and he has since settled into the Swiss Army Knife role that Celtics fans have come to love. Tatum, Brown and Porzingis are the focus of attention because they lead the team. But White stands as arguably the most important piece of the Celtics’ puzzle that isn’t on many people’s radars.
{
“placeholderType”: “MREC”
}
No other role player in the NBA is as valuable to his team as White is to the Celtics. He will also prove this in the second round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. If Boston’s winning streak continues into the Finals and potentially celebrates its 18th championship in June, White will be a big part of it.
2024-05-09 16:20:28
#underrated #player #NBA
