National Grape Day? Lame. National Cellophane Tape Day? What does that even mean? National Old Time Player Piano Day? Cool, but not as cool as Derrick White Day.
On May 27, 2023, Derrick White became a hero with a buzzer-beating tip-in during the final milliseconds of Game 6 against the Miami Heat, forcing a Game 7 in the Conference Finals.
Exactly one year later, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers, White did it again, nailing the game-winning shot to send the Celtics to the NBA Finals.
“This is a pretty good day, I guess,” White said after the game.
Entering Game 4, White had been struggling. Over the first three games, the 29-year-old has been shooting 16-of-39 (41.0%) from the field and 9-of-24 (37.5%) from deep this series. But when the moment mattered most, he delivered.
“D-White is the type of player that's meant for those types of moments,” Al Horford said postgame. “He really relishes that. It was a great play, and he just finished it.”
With under a minute remaining, Jaylen Brown penetrated the lane and kicked out to White in the corner. White, who was shooting 1-of-8 from deep at the time, confidently let the triple fly.
In the words of the great Mike Breen – Bang.
“Credit to him. He’s another guy with short-term memory,” Joe Mazzulla said postgame. “When he catches that, I have full faith that it’s going in.”
White, known for his typically calm demeanor, turned and stared down the Pacers’ bench as the ball found the bottom of the net. He was feeling it. The triple capped off a 7-0 Boston run to close out the game, with White playing a significant role in holding the Pacers scoreless over the last 3:32 of the fourth quarter.
“That was big. D-White is a big-time player, especially in that moment,” Jayson Tatum said. “There’s a lot on the line, the pressure, but we trust him. JB made the right pass, D-White knocked a hell of a shot.”
The triple capped off a big night from White, who once again showed out for the Celtics in a closeout game, finishing the night with 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists. The All-Defensive guard also had a bounce-back night on the defensive end, finishing with a postseason career-high five steals, along with three blocks, becoming just the third Celtics player in franchise history to have at least three blocks and four steals in a playoff game.
Additionally, he became the first player to have five steals and three blocks in a Conference Final game since Scottie Pippen.
Of course, after the game, the ever-so-humble White was quick to thank his teammates and coaches for putting him in positions to succeed.
“A lot of credit to the team. They always push me, and just seeing them work every day makes me want to work harder, which pushes me to just keep getting better,” White said. “Credit to the team and the coaching staff. They’ve been unreal. Just always there for me, always supporting me. Ups and downs, they just always believed in me. So, I love them, and it really starts with them.”
White is now back in the NBA Finals for the second time in three seasons with the Celtics. Since arriving in Boston, he has consistently contributed to the team’s success with his impactful plays on both ends of the floor.
“He’s our point guard, he’s the one who manages the clock, he’s the one who gets us into things and into actions, manages time, and he had a big three in the corner,” Jrue Holiday said postgame. “Just making big plays, and I’m not sure he gets enough credit for everything that he does. So, the way that Derrick’s played has been how he’s been playing all year, All-Star level, but you can see the leadership in how he’s been playing.”
The 6-foot-4 guard has evolved into one of the league’s best two-way players, and like the great ones, he shows up in the clutch – especially on May 27. With the Celtics now four games away from glory, they wouldn’t be there without White, whose consistency and success have been invaluable since his arrival in Boston.
However, White and the Celtics know there is still more work to be done to achieve their ultimate goal.
“We want to enjoy this,” White said. “It’s a grind. It’s not easy. We’re going to enjoy it for a little bit, and then we’re gonna lock in and do what we need to do. We’ll figure out who our opponent is and do what we need to do.”
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