For the second time in his career and the first time this season, Derrick White has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
White becomes the third Celtic to claim the weekly award this season, alongside Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Notably, the Celtics stand out as the only team in the NBA to have three different players earn this accolade this season.
In Week 22 of the NBA season, the 29-year-old averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 assists, and 8.8 rebounds, helping the Celtics to a perfect 4-0 record and extending their win streak to nine games. White’s 35 total assists over that span were the third-most in the NBA, trailing only Tyrese Haliburton (42) and James Harden (38). Remarkably, he only had five turnovers over that stretch.
The Colorado native kicked off the week with his first career triple-double with a 22-point, 10-rebound, and 10-assist game against the Detroit Pistons on Monday, joining Jaylen Brown as the only two Celtics to post a triple-double this season – a feat only 11 Celtics have accomplished since 2015.
“It’s great for him. I’m happy for him,” Mazzulla said on White’s triple-double postgame. “He’s continuing to grow as a two-way player on both sides of the ball…. The triple-double is an example of who he is as a player, but it doesn’t show how great he is on both ends of the floor.”
The All-Defensive guard’s two-way presence was on full display last week. He blocked four shots over Boston’s four games, bringing his block total for the season to 84, good for 14th most in the NBA and the most among guards — wild for a 6-foot-4 guard.
White finished the week with a plus-minus of +41, improving his season mark to +619, the highest mark in the league. Throughout his tenure with the Celtics, White has consistently excelled, boasting an impressive cumulative plus-minus of +1277. Notably, over the past two seasons, his plus-minus of +1107 trails only Nikola Jokic (+1198) for the league’s highest mark.
Jokic, White, and Jayson Tatum stand as the exclusive trio to surpass +1000 in plus-minus over the last two seasons.
White is having a career year. After missing out on an All-Star nod earlier this season, he will undoubtedly be in the mix for his second consecutive All-Defensive honor.
Payton Pritchard was also nominated for the award, alongside Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Pascal Siakam of the Indiana Pacers.
Pritchard averaged 19.3 points on 52.8% shooting from the field and 50.0% from deep, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds – a testament to Boston’s depth.
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