How Derrick White made NBA playoff history in Game 1 win over Cavs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Derrick White has elevated himself to another level throughout the 2024 NBA playoffs, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to nail 20 or more 3-pointers over a three-game span Tuesday night during the Boston Celtics‘ Game 1 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
White joins Stephen Curry — who has accomplished this three times — Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, and Jamal Murray as the only players to reach that milestone.
Against the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the first round, White drilled eight 3-pointers on 15 attempts to lead all scorers with 38 points, a new career-high. Following that performance, White stayed hot in Game 5 by hitting five 3s on 10 attempts, tying a game-high with 25 points as the Celtics closed out the series on the Heat.
In the opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cavs, White brought the home crowd to their feet by converting on 7 of 12 attempts from deep as he worked his way to a 25-point night in Boston’s 120-95 win over Cleveland.
After narrowly missing his first All-Star nod this season, White has seen his scoring improve from 15.7 points per game on 46.1 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from deep in the regular season to 22.8 points on 57.5 percent from the field and 50.9 percent from deep.
TNT’s Stephanie Ready spoke with Jaylen Brown following Tuesday night’s Game 1 win to ask him if he was surprised to see White’s emergence in the playoffs so far, and his answer didn’t disappoint.
“If you don’t know Derrick White, you better get to know him,” Brown told Ready. “That man has been balling and he’s just getting started.”
NBC Sports Boston‘s Abby Chin caught up with White after the win, asking the 29-year-old how big the rim looked after his barrage of 3s.
“I’m just trying to get good looks, get good shots, and knock them down when I take them.” White said, as seen in the video player above. “I just have to keep going — a lot of credit to the team, though.”
The crowd at the TD Garden got loud for White, continuously chanting his name as Boston’s lead over Cleveland continued to grow. White took notice and took the time to show his appreciation.
“I love it here in Boston,” White told Chin. “I love the fans, they’re amazing.”
Throughout the first six games of the postseason, White is posting 22.8 points, 3.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and just under a block per game. White’s 28 3-pointers over the span of those six games also marked a new franchise record, passing Ray Allen‘s 27 over a six-game span in the 2009 playoffs.
