All stats referenced are through Saturday’s games.
After losing various key players from their 2024 championship, and Jayson Tatum recovering from an Achilles tear, many people were expecting the 2025-26 season to be one where the Boston Celtics reset. Instead, they’re currently second in the Eastern Conference standings, and Tatum just made his season debut this past Friday.
A key reason for the team’s success in Tatum’s absence is the play of Derrick White. Every NBA team looks for players who can impact winning and contribute in all aspects of the game. Though aside from the league’s biggest stars, few people can do this at the level we’ve seen from the ninth-year guard.
The Celtics are outscoring opponents by 12.2 points per 100 possessions when White’s on the floor, and his well-rounded skill set on both ends of the floor plays a huge part in this. Though at Sports Info Solutions where our Video Scouts watch and track every possession of every NBA game in great detail, he’s also impacting the game in ways that extend beyond the box score.
Given Jrue Holiday being traded and Tatum’s absence for the first 62 games this season, White has understandably taken on a larger role offensively. Prior to Tatum’s return, White averaged 64 on-ball opportunities per 100 possessions, which ranks in the 82nd percentile among all players who have played at least 1,000 possessions. Last season for reference, that number was 55.5 per 100 possessions. A large chunk of this usage bump comes from the added responsibility in pick and roll.
The former Olympian is averaging 24 on-ball pick and roll opportunities per 100 possessions as opposed to 18 the prior season. Though despite the increased volume, he has still been above league average in terms of efficiency averaging 1.01 points per chance.
White as a whole does a fantastic job of limiting turnovers which helps the Celtics maximize possessions, but most importantly he’s also creating advantages.
Creating advantages is an essential part of the SIS framework. On any given possession, we can see if a player inherits, creates, loses or maintains an advantage. The Celtics, who are second in the NBA in offensive rating, currently rank 6th in advantages created with 52.4 per 100 possessions. Though Boston’s the best in the league in making sure those advantages aren’t reduced, with 19.1 per 100 possessions.
Boston Celtics Ranks
| Team | Stat | Rank |
| Offensive Rating | 119.8 | 2nd |
| Advantages Created Per 100 Possessions | 52.4 | 6th |
| Advantages Reduced Per 100 Possessions | 19.1 | 1st |
Advantage creation is defined by SIS as an action from a player which results in a situation where the team can generate a high-value shot.
White so far this season has created 14.2 advantages per 100 possessions, but has also excelled at creating “plus advantages”, where it can go from a “neutral” to a “big” advantage where he ranks in the 92nd percentile creating 3.2 per 100 possessions.
For an example of the type of difference this makes, the expected points of a neutral advantage closeout leaguewide is 1.05. That jumps up to 1.35 expected points when it’s a closeout with a big advantage.
Having made two All-Defensive teams, the veteran continues to excel on that end of the floor as well, where he makes an impact playing both on and off the ball. The Celtics as a team are one of the league’s best defenses at preventing advantages, and their do-it-all guard plays a huge role in that as he ranks in the 86th percentile preventing 5.2 defensive advantages per 100 possessions. He’s also well above average in terms of allowing offenses to create an advantage when he’s defending opposing ball handlers. Though very few players aside from White who excel at this have the burden he does offensively.
Despite being listed at 6’4”, White is also a fantastic shot blocker. For the year, he’s averaging 1.5 blocks per game, which would be the most by a guard in a season since Dwyane Wade in 2009. Though that skill extends beyond just blocking a shot. SIS charts how impactful a contest by a defender was on every shot attempt.
Despite his size, White excels at blocking and altering shots around the rim. That’s reflected in his advantages prevented-plus when defending cuts of 3.7 which is 14th among all qualifying players. Per 100 possessions, he defends 5.1 shots that are considered either “plus” or “altered” contests which ranks top-five among all NBA guards. That total is in line with what he averaged the past few seasons in which he’s made multiple All-Defensive teams.
The scary thing for opponents is White will likely be more efficient offensively with the return of Tatum. Following a three year stretch where he shot just under 39% from three on seven attempts a game, he’s shooting only 33% this year. Part of that could be due to taking more threes off the dribble, and a slight dip in percentages making open looks off the catch.
Though very few players can make a positive impact playing on or off the ball offensively, while also being asked to defend players ranging from Jalen Brunson to Lauri Markkanen. That’s someone any team would covet, and why White’s such an integral part of a Celtics team that’s only gaining steam as we approach the postseason.
