BOSTON — Coming into the East semifinals between the Celtics and Cavaliers, a lot has already been made about the friendship between Donovan Mitchell and some of the C’s stars. That’s natural considering Mitchell has spoken about being close with guys like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Their collective relationship also goes back to the 2019 FIBA World Cup team representing USA Basketball, where the three players were teammates. But lost in the shuffle, too, was Derrick White, who was with the Spurs at the time. So Mitchell knows White well, and he got a reminder of the guard’s impact after the Celtics’ blowout Game 1 win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday.
White was everywhere in his impact, most noticeably seen as he rained in 3-pointers. White finished with 25 points, including 14 in the third quarter, as he shot 7-for-12 from behind the arc. Mitchell praised his former teammate after the C’s took the 1-0 series lead in the East semifinals.
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“I feel like he’s had some things that he’s definitely added to his game,” Mitchell said. “I think he’s a guy that’s always — whatever you need from him, that’s a big thing from him. Selfless, guy that comes in. Some series, he may go 0-for but he’s doing other things defensively and doing different things.”
It’s clear how much growth White has shown in even his 2.5 seasons with Boston. He was an effective player when he arrived at the 2022 trade deadline, but empowering him to be his best was going to be a process. Well, thus far, the C’s have hit all the correct benchmarks as White has showcased what he can do when given the opportunity.
White will look to continue that stellar play after just his latest outburst from 3-point land. He’s quickly become a fan favorite as the Garden crowd serenaded him with a “Derrick White” chant midway through the third quarter. With Game 2, set for 7 p.m. Thursday coming up, the Celtics will look to take a 2-0 series lead.
“He’s definitely grown as a player,” Mitchell said. “Obviously, I’ve seen it throughout the years. The biggest thing now is just trying to find ways to contain it. When you got different guys that can go for 25, 30.”
