Boston Celtics: 1 stud and 1 dud from C’s gut punch loss in Game 5

Boston Celtics stud: Derrick White

Slowly but surely, Derrick White has been working his way towards becoming an overall positive contributor for the Boston Celtics during their second-season run, and, during their previous two outings, the veteran was showing signs that he was finally turning the corner after a tumultuous start to his playoff career in green and white.

Wednesday night, it seemed as though the point guard made his way around the bend, as he managed to put forth his finest performance of the 2022 postseason.

Finishing with 32 minutes played in the game, White was a highly efficient all-around contributor for the shamrocks off the pine, finishing with nine points, six assists, and five rebounds on 80 percent shooting from the floor and 50 percent shooting from deep whilst also finishing with a team-high plus-minus rating of +8.

On top of his offensive versatility, he also showcased the defensive skills that made him an ideal trade target at this year’s deadline in the first place, as he provided stellar on-ball and off-ball efforts and even went on to lead the team with two blocks when in each one of these types of sets, one coming at the expense on Giannis himself.

Unfortunately, this production did not wind up coming in a winning effort, but it was truly a tremendous sight to see.

Hopefully, he can put up similar production in a do or die exhibition Friday night and help bring things back home to Boston for a Game 7.