Count Kristaps Porzingis amongst those that had been shocked Derrick White didn’t make the reduce for ESPN’s Top 100 rankings that had been revealed earlier than this season.
Porzingis, showing on JJ Redick’s “Old Man & The Three” podcast this week, was requested by Redick if he knew how good White was earlier than becoming a member of the Celtics this 12 months.
“I did not,” Porzingis stated.
White has solely made his rankings snub look sillier to start this season. The Celtics guard entered Friday’s sport ranked third within the NBA in plus/minus at plus-163. His worth is so clear it’s beginning to grow to be anticipated.
“We had a meeting the other day and Joe (Mazzulla), as always, he’s (doing) kind of like team development type things that we do and we had to say one thing you love about your teammate, one thing that drives you crazy and a couple other things,” Porzingis stated on the podcast. “And I stated to D-White, what I like about you is the way you’re at all times making the fitting play for us. Because of that, I maintain you, and I feel all of us maintain you to such a excessive customary, that it drives me loopy while you don’t. He’s so good, he’s at all times making the fitting play, making the fitting learn, that I simply at all times count on that from him.
“He’s very underrated. I heard there was a lot of talk about this Top 100. Like it’s insane that he’s not in the Top 100. It’s completely insane. But I think he’s always proving it and it’s only a matter of time.”
Friday already marked the third time this season that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau needed to put together for White. Safe to say the Celtics guard has earned his respect, too.
“One of the most underrated players in the league,” Thibodeau stated. “His versatility, his size – he’s very, very unique.”
Resting up
While they will surely reasonably be in Las Vegas nonetheless competing within the In-Season Tournament, the Celtics are having fun with the perks of some additional relaxation that got here with shedding Monday’s quarterfinal to the Pacers.
The Celtics had three days off earlier than Friday’s sport in opposition to the Knicks, after which can have one other three days off earlier than their subsequent sport on Tuesday in opposition to the Cavaliers. That sort of break is definitely uncommon amidst a grueling 82-game schedule.
“It’s been nice being home, being able to just have time to be here and kind of spend time in the gym and watch games from home,” Jrue Holiday stated. “So it’s been good. …
“I’ve been able to have a mental break from basketball to refresh and get back out there and play.”
If the Celtics had received Monday in opposition to the Pacers, they’d have performed once more in Thursday’s IST semifinals after which probably the championship sport on Saturday, which might have counted as an 83rd sport on the schedule.
Instead, the schedule works out in that the Celtics will get pleasure from being within the consolation of their very own dwelling all however one night time throughout their stretch from Nov. 26 to Dec. 17 earlier than they head out on a West Coast journey later this month.
“Definitely looking at the schedule, I thought that we wouldn’t be home,” Holiday stated. “I thought that it was a lot of travel, especially early. It was a lot of weird stuff going on. We were going — we left on Thanksgiving Day, we’d be gone for Christmas. So this is a good break.”
Tatum’s desires
It’s taken time, however now within the seventh season of his profession, Jayson Tatum feels embraced by Boston. Earlier this season, after he scored his 10,000th profession level, he mirrored on his bond with the town. He took it a step additional on an episode of the “Point Forward” podcast – with hosts Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner – that was revealed this week when he was requested how he needed to be remembered.
“Honestly, like, I didn’t understand how special of a place Boston was until I got here,” Tatum stated on the podcast. “I didn’t like Boston. I felt like them beating the (St. Louis) Rams was the explanation the Rams ended up leaving and I didn’t have a soccer staff. Like we had been by no means good after that. They beat Kobe (Bryant) in ’08, so I used to be sick about that. But this can be a particular place. … They love their sports activities groups. They love their guys. Like, I really feel like I’ve been embraced. I’m certainly one of …
“I felt like they accepted me as one of their guys, and there’s a sense of pride, edge that you have to have to play here. But I can only imagine the love … like I know how much love I get now. I can only imagine the love, the reception if you hung one of those banners up. It would be incredible.”
Tatum shortly corrected himself: “It’s going to be incredible. I know it is.”
Tip-ins
Porzingis, as anticipated, returned Friday after lacking the earlier 4 video games on account of a calf pressure. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated he wouldn’t be on a minutes restriction.
Source: www.bostonherald.com