It’s kind of wild to think that, just 18 months ago, Derrick White wasn’t a fourth-quarter staple for the Boston Celtics.
There was a rather maddening game in Utah in March 2023 where the Celtics fumbled away a 19-point lead and White wasn’t one of the seven Boston players who touched the floor in the fourth quarter that night. Mind you, Mike Muscala and Luke Kornet combined for 15 minutes of fourth-quarter playing time in that game.
In fairness, the Celtics were getting shredded on the glass and size was a priority. But if only we knew then what it so obvious now: White is a late-game savant, a calming presence whenever the basketball waters get a little choppy.
The 30-year-old guard proved it again on Sunday afternoon, not only scoring 10 fourth-quarter points on 4-of-5 shooting as the Celtics stiff-armed the Minnesota Timberwolves’ late charge, but also chasing down an errant lead pass and calmly setting up Jaylen Brown’s game-winning 3-pointer with little more than a minute to play.
The Celtics have been spoiled by guards who thrive in the final frame over the past decade. Isaiah Thomas was the King In the Fourth. Marcus Smart was the prince of winning plays. Heck, even Kyrie Irving was a star in the fourth quarter before his Brooklyn-bound grumpiness blurred his on-court impact.
White isn’t always going to overwhelm you with scoring output, but his efficiency is off the charts. This season, he’s shooting 53.7 percent from the floor overall in the fourth quarter, including 50 percent on 3-point attempts. It is easily his most efficient quarter:
This isn’t exactly a new trend. During last season's title run, White also saved his most efficient ball for the fourth quarter. Over Boston’s 19 playoff games, White shot 51.1 percent overall in the fourth quarter, including 55.2 percent beyond the 3-point arc. He shot 45.2 percent overall and 40.4 percent from distance in the postseason.
White makes good things happen regardless of quarter. That’s obvious from a +12.6 net rating that is basically the same mark he posted last season when he posted the best rating in the NBA among high-volume players. White sits fifth in the NBA in basic plus/minus at +160 this season (Jayson Tatum tops that list at +171).
The big question is whether White will be rewarded with his first All-Star nod in February. He muscled his way into that conversation a year ago, but a couple things conspired against him: 1) A brief but ill-timed January slump and 2) A hot start for newcomer Kristaps Porzingis, which might have muddied the third star voting when coaches considered the Celtics last season.
Just about everything has gone White’s way since that night in Utah where he couldn’t get on the court in the fourth quarter. He’s made two All-Defense teams, he won a world championship, he signed a lucrative contract extension, and he won a gold medal in Paris. Is All-Star status next?
White’s ability to make good things happen in big spots ought to be part of the case for his inclusion. But his impact extends well beyond the final 12 minutes.
White is averaging a career-best 18.4 points per game. With two more blocks Sunday, including one against USA Basketball teammate Anthony Edwards, White is averaging 1.2 blocks per game, strengthening his resume as the best shot-blocking guard in the NBA.
When it comes down to it, White just makes good things happen whenever he’s on the court. But especially in the final frame.
