Derrick White just dropped a season-high 24 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a win over the Bucks, capping off his night with clutch heroics that sealed the deal. The 32-year-old guard was absolute fire, hitting 11 points in the fourth quarter alone, including 7 of the Celtics’ final 10 points. He even hit an and-one runner with just over two minutes left, giving Boston a 5-point lead they never let go of. Afterward, he was icing both knees and his left shoulder in the locker room, showing just how much he left out on the court.
When the Momentum Flipped, White Stayed Rock Solid
This game was a wild ride, man. The Celtics were up by as many as 22 points, cruising along, and then *poof*, that lead evaporated. After a monster third quarter from Tyler Herro and some serious offensive struggles from Boston, they found themselves down by a single point late in the fourth. That’s when White decided it was his time to shine. Paul George, who led the team with 25 points, wasn’t surprised at all. He said White has “unwavering confidence” and is “even-keeled,” making him “great down the stretch.” That calm, cool, collected mentality is exactly what the team needed when things were going south. White finished the night with 7 assists and 4 rebounds, a truly complete game when his team needed him most.
No Tatum? No Pritchard? No Problem.
The stakes were higher for White in this one, too. Jayson Tatum was chilling in street clothes, taking his first rest game of the season. Then, to make things even crazier, Payton Pritchard exited the game in the third quarter with a right eye abrasion. Just like that, Boston was without two of its primary scorers when the game was on the line. White knew he had to step up. He put it perfectly: “Every game is a little different , different lineups, different matchups, and so just kind of go out there, read what the game tells you to do, and go out there and compete, try to get a win. Obviously with JT out and then P going out too, had to [have] a little bit more aggressive mindset, and maybe next game is a little different. So, you just kind of go out there and have fun playing basketball.” Despite his shooting numbers slipping this season, he’s at 42.5% from the field and 31% from three, down for the second straight year. But when it mattered most, he delivered. It’s why, for the second straight home game, the TD Garden crowd gave him straight-up MVP chants at the free throw line. That’s real, folks.
The “Even-Keeled” Difference
It’s not just the scoring, either. George highlighted White’s all-around game, calling him “a great defender, shot-blocker, rebounder at the guard spot.” It all ties back to that unshakeable mentality. George stressed that White, along with Pritchard, has an “even-keeled mentality, never get too high, never get too low, never really rattle.” That kind of veteran leadership and calm under pressure is exactly what any team needs, especially early in the season when you’re figuring things out. White is averaging 12.8 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game this season. You gotta love seeing a player step up like that.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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