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Boston Celtics

Derrick White apparently intends to stick around with the Celtics

Author Matt Dolloff
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 09: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics reacts after a made basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the fourth quarter in Game Two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 09, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Derrick White is another Boston Celtics player who’s due to get paid.

White has one more season on the books for the C’s at a cap hit of more than $20 million, so he’ll be part of keeping the band together after what looks like will be their first NBA championship of the current era. But, according to NBA insider Marc Stein on his Substack page, it sounds like White prefers to remain a Celtic for the long-term.

“We must also factor in that White, according to league sources, will be seeking a contract extension this summer,” Stein wrote (hat tip to Gio Rivera at NESN.com for pulling that).

Before that, Stein was referring to the looming contract situation for Jayson Tatum, whose “supermax” deal is estimated at $315 million. Tatum will be eligible for an extension this summer. He has a player option for the 2025-26 season that he’d be able to decline before locking in a new deal.

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) blocks Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) in the fourth quarter during game two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Jun 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) blocks Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (25) in the fourth quarter during game two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

Regardless of what happens in the summers of 2024 and 2025, the Celtics appear to be on the verge of winning a championship, and their entire top-7 rotation is under contract for 2024-25 as well. They have a chance to be two-time champions before ever reconfiguring their roster and payroll.

White would be a key piece of any title run for the C’s. His clutch defense in the fourth quarter helped the Celtics put Game 2 away and lift them to a 2-0 NBA Finals lead over the Mavericks. They’ll get back to action Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena in Dallas for Game 3.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

Celtics hold off Mavericks to take 2-0 lead in NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics held off a late rally by the Dallas Mavericks in the fourth quarter, to win Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals on Sunday night at TD Garden by a 105-98 final.

Boston led by as many as 14 points in the closing minutes, before Dallas made it a two-possession game with a late run. Celtics point guard Derrick White made a timely blocked shot to kill the run for good, and effectively put the game away.

Jrue Holiday led the Celtics in scoring with 26 points, shooting 11-for-14 from the field (78.6%). Jayson Tatum struggled again shooting the ball on offense (6-for-22, 27.3%), but finished with 12 assists and nine rebounds, just one board shy of a triple-double.

Celtics-Mavs Highlights, Game 2

The Mavericks handily out-shot the Celtics in the first quarter, but escaped with only a three-point lead at 28-25. Dallas shot 52.4% as a team, compared to 36.8% for Boston, including 1-for-9 from three-point range.

Jaylen Brown did, however, add another highlight-reel slam dunk to his finals resume.

  • The shots started to fall more in the second quarter, as the C’s shot 12-for-20 (60%) as a team. Point guard Jrue Holiday continued his hot shooting, ending up with 17 first-half points on 7-of-9 (77.8%) from the field.

    Celtics on NBC Sports Boston on X (formerly Twitter): "That ball movement 😮‍💨👌 pic.twitter.com/LJtTmxYbzD / X"

    That ball movement 😮‍💨👌 pic.twitter.com/LJtTmxYbzD

  • In the third quarter, the Celtics started to pull away. At one point, they went on a 25-11 run to go up by 13 points ad 80-67. Tatum scored eight points and continued his strong passing night to get up to 10 assists.

    Boston Celtics on X (formerly Twitter): "Plays like this are what makes Jrue great 👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/p2kwR7pQRB / X"

    Plays like this are what makes Jrue great 👏🏾 pic.twitter.com/p2kwR7pQRB

  • Dallas ripped off a 7-0 run to cut the deficit back down to six with the final seconds ticking away in the third, but that’s when Celtics guard Payton Pritchard woke up the whole arena. Pritchard heaved it from nearly half-court and made the Hail Mary shot, putting the C’s back up by nine entering the fourth quarter at 83-74, and drawing the loudest pop of the series so far.

    Boston Celtics on X (formerly Twitter): "WHO ELSE pic.twitter.com/b5lWgkkZIG / X"

    WHO ELSE pic.twitter.com/b5lWgkkZIG

  • The Celtics pulled back away to lead by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter, after a White steal set up a Holiday three-pointer, then White drained a triple of his own to make it 103-89 Celtics.

    However, the Mavericks wouldn’t go away quietly. They rattled off a 9-0 run to make it 103-98 C’s with just 1:15 left in regulation, then had the ball with a chance to cut further into the deficit.

    But then, White delivered a clutch blocked shot and Holiday pulled down the rebound, and Brown took it the other way to lay it in and put the Celtics back up seven with 30 seconds left. That’s how the score would hold, as the Celtics take their 2-0 lead to Dallas.

    Boston Celtics on X (formerly Twitter): "DERRICK WHITE 🚫 pic.twitter.com/K40AaqRCTk / X"

    DERRICK WHITE 🚫 pic.twitter.com/K40AaqRCTk

    Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Mavericks takes place Wednesday night at American Airlines Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.

    Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

Matt, a North Andover, Massachusetts native, has been with The Sports Hub since 2010. Growing up the son of Boston University All-American and Melrose High School hall-of-fame hockey player Steve Dolloff, sports was always a part of his life. After attending Northeastern University, Matt focused his love of sports on writing, extensively writing about all four major Boston teams. He also is a co-host of the Sports Hub Underground podcast and is a regular on-air contributor on the Sports Hub. Matt writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins.

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