Must Cs: Derrick White calls game

In a sport that noticed the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves fireplace up simply shy of 100 mixed three-pointers, probably the most comical try of the night time proved to be maybe an important. Witness: Derrick White’s financial institution shot three-pointer to present the Celtics an eight-point lead with 2:08 to play.

You possibly can argue this shot’s standing as a “dagger,” given how the Wolves battled again within the ensuing two minutes to return inside a bricked Anthony Edwards pull-up from forcing time beyond regulation. However what’s inarguable is White’s affect down the stretch of this sport. The financial institution shot was his second consecutive triple, coming as he scored 13 factors within the fourth quarter to assist bury the Wolves in one other shut sport between the 2 franchises.

For the night time, White completed with 26 factors on 10-of-20 taking pictures, making 5 threes, grabbing two rebounds, dishing two assists and swatting two pictures. It was maybe his finest particular person efficiency since scoring 31 in mid-November in a loss to the Hawks, as he slumped considerably in December, averaging 14.7 factors on 41.3% taking pictures from the sphere.

The robust outing comes at an opportune time for White, who’s seeking to regain some momentum within the hunt for his first NBA All-Star choice. First returns from fan voting for the All-Star rosters had been launched earlier as we speak and noticed White ranked tenth amongst Jap Convention guards, just under Washington’s Jordan Poole and Miami’s Tyler Herro.

The Jap Convention’s backcourt race is as crowded as ever, and White seems like a longshot for the roster at this cut-off date. Stringing collectively some extra standout performances like this — and maybe a number of extra well timed financial institution pictures — might assist start to show the momentum again in his favor.