Derrick White is even more important to Celtics championship repeat chances now

Last season, everything came together beautifully. With a 16-3 record heading into the postseason and a 64-game winning streak throughout the regular season, the Boston Celtics cruised to Banner 18. However, winning consecutive titles is considerably harder than winning one.

With the exception of Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk, Brad Stevens was able to replace last year’s squad with nearly the exact same lineup. Al Horford, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis will all be back, and one of them will be more significant than the others.

Furthermore, that individual is White.

For the Celtics, Derrick White is more crucial than ever.
Prior to the break, White received a strong All-Star push the previous season. Even though he didn’t end up making the squad, everyone in the basketball world acknowledged his influence.

He was called up to the USA squad this summer. After being selected to replace Kawhi Leonard, he was crucial to the 2024 Olympics.

He will now be vying for a second ring with the Celtics, but his contribution will be much more significant.

Starting the season early, Porzingis will miss a significant portion of it as he recovers from offseason surgery. In addition, Horford is 38 years old and Holiday is 34. Unavoidably, they’ll require some relaxation games.

White will continue to start, and even if Tatum and Brown will unavoidably shoulder the most of the offensive load, he may have a much bigger role. In the event that one of those players needs a break or has a bad night, Boston will probably look to White to fill in.

White’s significance increases even further when you consider that the Celtics will need to play more small ball as a result of Porzingis’ departure. His defense and three-point shooting will be crucial, but the Celtics will need to use his underappreciated shot creation more than ever.

For the Celtics, getting the ball into White’s hands has always been a surefire way to win. This season, that won’t change.

The Celtics will benefit from giving White more responsibility since they will need him to step up in light of the fact that some players are hurt, having a bad game, or needing time off.