The case for more Derrick White crunch time minutes for Boston Celtics

Since the All-Star Break, the Boston Celtics have lost numerous games due in large part to how they have played in crunch time. That includes overtime losses to the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, and a head scratching loss the bottom-dwelling Houston Rockets.

The most recent loss came last Saturday night to the Utah Jazz. In that Jazz game, Derrick White played zero minutes in the fourth quarter, a baffling statistic.

In fact, the Celtics have played 162 crunch time minutes this season, with White being on the floor for only 34% of them. Additionally, Boston has played 60 minutes in overtime this season, with White playing just 27% of them.

Derrick White should be getting more crunch time minutes for the Boston Celtics

White provides solid spacing with his 38% three point shot, is one of Boston’s best decision makers with the ball in his hands, and is an elite defender. On the defensive side of the ball, there can even be a case for White to make an all-defense team this year, as the Celtics guard has 67 blocks on the season which leads the league among all player under six-foot-seven.

Per Cleaning the Glass, the Boston Celtics have a +10.1 net rating with White on the court, which would rank him in the 93rd percentile among all NBA players. Most of Boston’s best lineups this year are ones with Derrick White in them. The lineup of Marcus Smart, White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Al Horford has played the most possessions together of any lineup for the Celtics this season, and it has resulted in a +13.8 net rating.

Bottom line? In any lineup that Derrick White is in, he is having an overwhelmingly positive impact on it.

The ball is in Joe Mazzulla’s court to tinker with these fourth quarter lineups heading into the playoffs, but we all know that White should be in them.