Derrick White’s Immediate Impact.
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
After a few late trades on Thursday afternoon, the Celtics turned a lot of heads with the moves they made before the deadline. The most notable move of the day was the addition of Derrick White, a combo guard with a defensive mindset, perfect for the Celtics who are currently ranked #2 in Defensive efficiency.
White also has a history with head coach Ime Udoka, as Udoka was the Assistant coach behind Greg Popovich during his time with the Spurs. In an interview with Zolak and Bertran, when asked about the addition of Derrick White, Udoka stated, “He knows what I want. I know him well. We have a lot of similarities in our background. He should come in and fit in seamlessly.”
(Getty Images/Maddie Malhotra)
Fit in seamlessly he did. In his first game for the Celtics this past Friday, White made an immediate impact as he put up 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists while shooting 50% from the field. White finished with a plus minus of +11, which should be no surprise as he has yet to have a game this season with a plus minus in the negatives.
This should be music to Celtics fans ears, as an addition like this is perfect for the red hot Celtics who have now gone 9-1 in their last 10 games. Although Josh Richardson and Romeo Langford had to leave Boston as a result of the trade, I think in due time we’ll appreciate this move. The Celtics look to improve their 7 game win streak this afternoon when they face off against the Atlanta Hawks at 1 PM EST.
