Celtics Announce Injury Update on Derrick White vs Pistons

Oct 24, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) is guarded by New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics may be looking for their first win of the season Sunday without multiple critical pieces.

Beyond six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum, Boston could be without four-time All-Star wing Jaylen Brown and new reserve center Luka Garza.

But one player who had been merely probable to suit up has now been upgraded.

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Per Noa Dalzell of SB Nation's CelticsBlog, two-time All-Defensive Team guard Derrick White has been cleared to play through a right wrist sprain.

Through his first two games, White is averaging 20.0 points on .316/.292/.900 shooting splits, 4.0 assists and 3.5 boards per. Boston's second-best healthy player, White is a lethal two-way threat. If the Celtics manage to maintain a respectable record this season despite all their roster turnover, the 6-foot-4 Colorado product has a shot at making his first All-Star team this year.

Brown is dealing with a left hamstring strain, although that hasn't impeded his scoring a ton so far. The 6-foot-6 former Finals MVP is officially questionable. Garza sat out the Celtics' 105-95 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday while dealing with a concussion, although he's now probable to return.

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Tatum, of course, will be on a lot of these injury reports. He tore his Achilles tendon in the playoffs last spring, and will likely miss most — perhaps all — of the 2025-26 season.

Boston will be hard-pressed to fully replace Tatum's production. The 6-foot-8 former Duke Blue Devil was the club's undisputed best player, an elite wing defender with a well-rounded offensive game.

The Celtics' (Temporary) New Hierarchy

Brown, Boston's second-best player when Tatum is available, has one fatal flaw: an imperfect handle, which will understandably impede his reliability as the team's leading scorer. The availability of White on Sunday is critical for the Celtics, as he takes decent care of the rock. Now-starting point guard Payton Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and Anfernee Simons both provide some ball handling relief for Brown, allowing him to play a bit more off the ball.

According to the league's latest injury report, shooting guard Jaden Ivey will (unsurprisingly) remain shelved recuperating from a right knee arthroscopy. Shooting guard Caris LeVert (left hamstring tightness) and third-year combo guard Marcus Sasser (right hip impingement) are both doubtful to play.

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