The Boston Celtics will head to Philadelphia for Game 3 vs. the Sixers in their first-round series of the East playoffs, and they’ll do so in a 1-1 tie, needing to cop at least one road win to get back homecourt advantage in the series. Certainly, after the drubbing the Celtics handed to the Sixers in Game 1, a convincing 32-point win, it looked like this would not be much of a series. But the Celtics, with Derrick White going 2-for-10 from the arc, were out of sorts in Game 2, and could not knock down the 3-pointers they typically make, coming away with a 14-point loss.
A 46-point swing between playoff games is certainly unusual, but for the Celtics, there must be some diagnosing exactly what happened with the team in that second game. They shot just 39% for the game, and made only 13-of-50 attempts from the 3-point line, a measly 26%.
Defensively, they were well torched by the backcourt of Tyrese Maxey (29 points) and rookie VJ Edgecombe (30 points), and will need adjustments there, too.
Derrick White Continues His Shooting Woes
For White, the slip-ups in both areas are on his shoulders, and he is accepting that responsibility. White has struggled with his shooting badly to open the Celtics’ postseason run, as he has shot just 7-for-22 from the field and 4-for-17 from the 3-point line.
That is part of a wider troubling trend when it comes to White. On the season, White has had his worst performance as a shooter with the Celtics, making only 39.4% of his shots and 32.7% from the 3-point line. Lost in the enthusiasm of the Celtics’ surprising season and the return of Jayson Tatum has been the White struggles – he closed the season 34-for-110 on 3-point tries in his last 17 games, just 31%.
White’s shooting woes are not a new development. They have been building for months. And they have now carried over into the playoffs.
Derrick White: ‘Trying to Take What’s Given’
White addressed his struggles after the Celtics lost Game 2. Again, the team’s performance was unusual in that one – but White’s poor shooting has become a rolling concern in Boston.
At practice on Wednesday, White told reporters (via CelticsWire): “I’m just trying to take what’s given, honestly. Just looking to space the floor, and when you get a shot, you have to take it. Honestly, I just have to play better and so that’s all I’m focused on for Game 3.”
He continued: “When you lose a game in the playoffs you feel like it’s the end of the world. You see there’s these little pockets of the game here that you see, this is why we were losing, and why they went on a run. You see what plays we should’ve made and could’ve made that might’ve changed the whole game, and you can get that from a win but they say it’s easy to learn from a loss and all those little plays that go into winning and losing are things we can control.”
White’s mindset is correct. He is not making excuses. He is not pointing fingers. He is accepting that he needs to be better.
But accepting it and doing it are two different things.
The Bigger Picture: What’s Wrong with White?
White’s shooting struggles are not just about bad luck. They are about mechanics, confidence, and role.
White has always been a streaky shooter. But this season, the streaks have been more cold than hot. His three-point percentage has dropped every year since 2022-23, when he shot 38.1% from deep. Last season, he shot 36.1%. This season, 32.7%.
The Celtics have asked White to do more with Tatum sidelined for much of the year. He has handled more ball-handling duties. He has been asked to create his own shot. That is not his natural role.
Now, with Tatum back and the playoffs underway, White needs to rediscover his game. He needs to be the catch-and-shoot threat he was during the 2024 title run.
He is not there yet.
The Sixers’ Defense: Making White Uncomfortable
The Sixers have done an excellent job of taking away White’s favorite spots. They are chasing him off the line. They are closing out hard. They are making him put the ball on the floor.
White is 6-foot-4. He is not a great finisher at the rim. He does not have elite blow-by speed. When he puts the ball on the floor, he is often settling for mid-range pull-ups or kicking to a teammate.
The Sixers are happy with that outcome.
Celtics Will Miss Joel Embiid Again
One bit of news for the Celtics did come in on the Sixers injury report, noting that big man Joel Embiid continues to be out as he recovers from an emergency appendectomy. Embiid won’t play in Game 3, leaving the Sixers to continue to wrestle with the absence of their franchise player.
There is hope that Embiid could play later in the series. But for now, the Celtics are facing a Sixers team that is playing with house money.
The Verdict: Time for White to Step Up
The Celtics are still the favorites to win the series. They have the better roster. They have home-court advantage (even if they lost it in Game 2). They have Tatum and Brown.
But they need White to be White. They need his defense. They need his spacing. They need his timely shooting.
If White continues to struggle, the Celtics can still beat the Sixers. But they will not beat the Cavaliers or the Knicks or the Pistons.
White knows this. He is not panicking. But he is aware.
“I just have to play better,” he said.
Game 3 is Friday in Philadelphia. The Celtics need a win. And they need Derrick White to find his shot.
The pressure is on. And White is ready to answer the call.