Inside The Spurs

Spurs Starter, June 10, 2024: Derrick White Seals Game 2 With Chasedown Block

Your daily briefing on what's going on with the San Antonio Spurs, including news, draft & more.

Matt Guzman

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) reacts after losing control of the ball against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the fourth quarter in game two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) reacts after losing control of the ball against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the fourth quarter in game two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
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Happy Monday, Por Vida fans! Welcome to your morning Spurs starter.

The Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics took to the latter squad's court at TD Garden Sunday evening for Game 2 of The NBA Finals, and with that came plenty more storylines and highlights.

The most notable?

Former San Antonio Spurs point guard Derrick White's fourth-quarter chasedown block on P.J. Washington.

With under a minute to play, Celtics star Jayson Tatum controlled the ball on the left wing in a isolation situation with Luka Doncic. He tried a snatch move before backing up behind the arc and crossing over and attacking the paint from the center. As he took his two steps and went for the rim, Derrick Jones Jr. met him there and the ball made its way into P.J. Washington's hands.

READ MORE: Kristaps Porzingis Shines, Celtics Cruise Past Mavericks in Game 1

Washington hit Kyrie Irving on an outlet pass before receiving the ball back on a forward bounce pass for what appeared to be an easy layup — except that wasn't going to fly with White.

The point guard hawked Washington and knocked his shot against the glass at the same time as Jaylen Brown jumped for it, and the ball made its way back to White, who found Brown for a game-icing layup. That was all it took for the Celtics to take Game 2, 105-98.

White might not be a Spur any longer, but he's still certainly a fan favorite. And if he needed any more reason to prove that to Boston's faithful, as well, he did. Now, both teams will take center stage for Game 3 in Dallas, which could either break the series for the Mavericks or give them a second wind.

Now, onto the headlines:

THE NEWS

1. READ: WHAT COULD 6TH MAN OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE MALIK MONK BRING TO SPURS?

After two seasons with the Sacramento Kings, Malik Monk is fairly sold on the idea of returning this offseason, but in the case that he decides to look elsewhere, how likely could a Spurs pairing be?

Read the full story above.

2. LOOK: SPURS UNVEIL NEW BASKETBALL COURT AT LA CANTERA

In a press release announcing the latest addition, the Spurs detailed the court, which is set to be half-court and garnished with Spurs logos and Coca-Cola backboards for fans to use daily from 9 a.m to 9 p.m.

See a few images below, courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs:

The San Antonio Spurs unveiled a new basketball court at their La Cantera campus to give fans a chance to shoot baskets daily
The San Antonio Spurs unveiled a new basketball court at their La Cantera campus to give fans a chance to shoot baskets daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. / Photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs unveiled a new basketball court at their La Cantera campus to give fans a chance to shoot baskets daily
The San Antonio Spurs unveiled a new basketball court at their La Cantera campus to give fans a chance to shoot baskets daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. / Photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs unveiled a new basketball court at their La Cantera campus to give fans a chance to shoot baskets daily
The San Antonio Spurs unveiled a new basketball court at their La Cantera campus to give fans a chance to shoot baskets daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. / Photo provided by the San Antonio Spurs

3. READ: HOW TRUE IS NBA ANALYST'S FREE-AGENCY ASSERTION?

The San Antonio Spurs have the financial ability to sign almost any free agent on the market, and now it looks they have the draw.

Read the full story above.

THE DRAFT

The 2024 NBA Draft is 16 days away, and set to take place over the course of two days — a new format — from Wednesday, June 26 to Thursday, June 27.

According to The Ringer's big board, San Antonio is projected to select Kentucky's Rob Dillingham with the No. 4 overall pick to headline its 2024 draft class and Colorado's Cody Williams with No. 8 overall pick, should it elect to keep both.

The Spurs aren't locked into their decision as of now, so a deal could still come to fruition, but only time will tell how the team decides to use their two top-10 picks.

THE CLOSER

Make sure to check out our homepage for more news — including full coverage of the NBA Finals — and follow us on the platforms below. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the rest of your Monday.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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