No Bad Blood Between Jrue Holiday & Celtics’ Unexpected Hero Amid Ex-NBA Champ’s Struggle: “Derrick (White) Is That Guy”

The Boston Celtics have stars galore on their roster. Led by Jayson Tatum, the off-season additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis quickly made them favorites. However, the man who rose to prominence amongst such mega-talents was Derrick White. Brought from the San Antonio Spurs his profound impact over the past few seasons had seen him become an integral part of the starting lineup; something his teammate agrees with.

White plays the game with unmatchable energy on either end of the floor. During the regular season, the former Spurs guard had arguably his best season in the NBA. Averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 assists, his mixture of scoring and hardcore defense led to his integration into the starting lineup.

It’s no different in the postseason. White has stamped himself as one of the more consistent performers for the Celtics during the ongoing playoffs. He has stepped into whatever role needed and stretched his threshold game after game. Hours before Game 3, Jrue Holiday, his new teammate had nothing but praise for his efforts and production during the entire season.

Jrue Holiday doesn’t mind having Derrick White as the point guard

Standing in the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Holiday was asked about his role on the Celtics and White transitioning into the point guard for the team. Rather than being alarmed, the former Milwaukee Bucks guard spoke encouragingly about his teammate. “Seeing the way Derrick has been playing, not only in the regular season but in the postseason, that’s why he’s the point guard,” he told the reporters. “He comes here, he does everything whether it’s making a play for someone else or just scoring and going off for 18 in the third or whatever D White is that guy,”. 

Holiday was mainly brought by the Boston Celtics to become the starting point guard. His tenacious defense along with the ability to shoot made him an appropriate fit within the system. However, the defensive stalwart has had a hard time in the postseason thus far. He has only averaged 8.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in seven games. The underwhelming production would have deeply hurt the Celtics if it wasn’t for White.

Derrick White offers the Celtics flexibility to play with the lineup. He can play off the ball as the shooting guard and knock down threes. White can also check in as the point guard and get an uninterrupted offense going. His defensive duties don’t suffer in the thick of it all. The 29-year-old has bravely accepted the multitude of roles and executed them flawlessly.

With Boston having to face the challenge of an away crowd, a player like White plays a crucial part. Seemingly unflappable when making the big plays, he continues to solidify his reputation as a do-it-all player. If Boston hopes to grab a win before heading back home, White will have to be on top gear.