BOSTON – Derrick White has a knack for making plays at the biggest moments of games.
His latest?
With the Celtics clinging to a five-point lead with 50.5 seconds to go in the fourth quarter after watching their 14-point lead evaporate, Mavericks forward P.J. Washington was headed for what appeared to be a sure-fire uncontested dunk.
Washington was about to shrink the Celtics lead to three, only White had other ideas. The Celtics All-Defensive selection chased him down, hauling nearly the length of the floor to thwart Washington’s attempt and help preserve the 105-98 Game 2 victory.
BetMGM BET UP TO $1,500! BONUS BET REFUND AFTER A LOSS
STATES: AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org. US Promotional Offers not available in New York.
Jaylen Brown also got there for good measure, but White got the initial piece of the ball as the two combined to stuff Washington. The block led to Brown getting a layup at the other end to all but ice the victory and put the Celtics up 2-0 in the NBA Finals heading back to Dallas.
“That was sick,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of White’s chase-down play.
And clutch.
“Those are the type of plays that help you win games,” Brown said. “It’s just effort, that’s what it comes down to.”
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, however, wasn’t as impressed with White’s heroics.
“My interpretation? It looked like a foul,” Kidd said. “But it wasn’t called. So it wasn’t a foul.”
White, who was officially credited with the block, said he was just trying to make a play.
“Obviously they were making a little run there and whatever means necessary, just sprint back and meet him at the rim,” White said.
He described his thought process once he saw the ball headed the other way.
“I think my first three steps is really important. Just kind of put my head down and run,” White said. “Then at that time just trust the instincts and trust the timing that I have. So, just putting my head down and sprinting just as fast as I can just to get in position and go up and make a play.”
White was good all-around as he finished with 18 points, five rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks.
He is one of the best shot-block guards in the league, as he averaged 1.2 blocks per game, second-best in the league among guards behind Toronto’s Scottie Barnes during the regular season.
“He’s just another guy that’s selfless and wants to impact the game in any way that he can,” Mazzulla said, “and it looks different every night.”
