Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Derrick White Shares His Message to Grant Williams After Costly Missed Free Throws
In his second season in Boston, Derrick White's more comfortable, consistently looks to attack, has refined his shooting mechanics, and he's playing All-NBA caliber defense.
White's tied with Robert Williams for the highest net rating on the Celtics (9.9), per NBA.com. He's played in all 66 games, while the Timelord, currently dealing with a left hamstring strain expected to sideline him 7-10 days but could require more patience given the nature of the injury, has appeared in 28 tilts this season.
White also has the second-best plus-minus rating on the team (plus-5.2), per NBA.com. He's averaging 11.9 points, 3.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and nearly a steal and a block per game. He's also drilling 37.5 percent of the 4.6 threes he's hoisting.
In Monday's 118-114 loss in Cleveland, White registered 12 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Boston was in a prime position to get back in the win column when Grant Williams stepped to the free-throw line with the game tied at 109 and less than a second remaining.
But after telling Donovan Mitchell he'd make them both, Williams came up empty, and the Celtics fell in overtime, their third-straight defeat and fourth in five games.
Speaking at the Tobin Community Center after a basketball clinic for Senior citizens as part of the Senior Celtics program in partnership with New England Baptist Hospital, White shared his message for Williams.
"Just keep his head up. Obviously, it's a tough moment, but we had a lot of faith in Grant, and we still do, so that has never changed and got a lot of confidence in him if he gets fouled next game in the same exact moment, I've got a lot of confidence in him to make them both."
And with 16 games left in the season and Boston 2.5 games behind the Bucks and 1.5 ahead of the third-seeded Sixers, who the Celtics play again in Philadelphia in April, White's not too worried about the defending Eastern Conference champions working their way through this rough patch.
"Better now than in a couple (of) months. We're gonna bond together. We've got a close-knit group, and I'm not too worried about it. We're just gonna have to stick with it, and keep getting better, and find a way to get out of this little rut."
Further Reading
Celtics' Latest Injury Report Brings Mostly Positive Updates
The Celtics' Identity Has Changed for the Worst, But There's Time to Recalibrate
Joe Mazzulla Reacts To Grant Williams' Crucial Missed Free Throws
Malcolm Brogdon Shares His Message to the Celtics After Overtime Loss to Cavaliers
Should the Celtics Prioritize Rest Over Their Pursuit of the One Seed? Joe Mazzulla Weighs in
