The Boston Celtics are a fine-tuned machine that works perfectly on both ends of the floor.
The front office has gone to great lengths to craft this roster together, and while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown get most of the attention and the blame, it takes a whole team to get to this point.
Notably, Derrick White has been this team’s unsung hero throughout the course of the season, and he’s also come up huge in the playoffs when his number has been called.
That’s why, ahead of Game 5, coach Joe Mazzulla shared his thoughts on White, praising him for being the kind of player who always rises to the occasion and the challenge (via NBA).
“Just a guy defined by the ability to make plays on both ends.”
Coach Joe Mazzulla gives high praise to Derrick White 👏 pic.twitter.com/pCjGKxocxj
— NBA (@NBA) June 16, 2024
He stated that not many players take that much pride in getting the job done on both ends of the floor as White does.
White is the kind of ego-less player who’ll do whatever it takes to help his team win.
He puts his body on the line by diving for loose balls, and embraces the challenge of defending some of the best scorers in the game.
Then, he pulls up from beyond the arc to knock down a huge three-pointer with the clock winding down, or he takes it all the way to the rack and challenges the other team’s rim protector despite his lack of size.
White is a championship-caliber role player, and if the Celtics end up closing out the deal, he should get plenty of the credit for his play.
