Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Celtics
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Derrick White of the Boston Celtics talks with Jaylen Brown during the second quarter of the game against the Chicago Bulls.
The Boston Celtics returned to TD Garden on Wednesday night to face the Indiana Pacers.
After a difficult road trip, Boston responded with a controlled 119–104 win, leading wire to wire and reasserting the structure that has carried them through the season. Jaylen Brown set the tone early, finishing with 30 points in just 33 minutes, while the Celtics dictated pace on both ends.
The win moved Boston further into the East’s upper tier and extended a stretch that has quietly reshaped expectations around a roster operating without Jayson Tatum. It was not flashy. It was deliberate.
After the game, the conversation shifted elsewhere.
Jaylen Brown Drops Take On Derrick White’s Season
When asked about Derrick White’s impact defensively, Brown did not hedge.
He described White as playing at an All-Star level because of his two-way consistency and said he belongs on a First Team All-Defense ballot.
Brown then went a step further, suggesting White might have a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year case.
This was not a throwaway compliment or a teammate talking up a friend. It was a statement about value.
White’s defense does not show up in one dominant category. It shows up in how possessions end. Rotations arrive early. Passing lanes disappear. Guards hesitate. The Celtics’ defensive shape holds because White is almost always in the right place.
Brown was pointing to impact.
Asked Jaylen Brown about Derrick White’s defense — and he said he could see D-White being Defensive Player of the Year:
“I think Derrick White has been playing at an All-Star level l, because he plays both sides of the ball. And that's no disrespect to some of those other guys… https://t.co/TFWbYOn7OB pic.twitter.com/vUqsyydJav
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) January 22, 2026
How The Numbers Quietly Support the Argument
White’s value is often felt before it is measured. But the metrics have started to catch up.
He sits among league leaders in blocks in ninth place. In his position, he sits first in that category and continues to rank near the top of Boston’s defensive on-off splits.
Against Indiana, his presence was felt in subtler ways. Indiana’s early actions stalled. White consistently won his matchups. Boston’s overall defensive efficiency reflects it. Even without Tatum, the Celtics continue to rank near the top of the league in net rating.
White rarely needs to announce himself to make that happen.
Pacers’ Rick Carlisle Echoes the Sentiment
Brown was not the only one to say it.
Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle also offered praise postgame. “Derrick White is an All-Star. He’s an All-Star player, I mean, the guy is 8th in the league in blocked shots. He’s such an important part of their team,” he told Jack Simone.
Coming from an opposing coach, the comment carried weight.
Carlisle was not reacting to a highlight. He was reacting to preparation. To disruption. To how difficult it is to run offense when White is involved in every decision point.
Celtics on CLNS
Rick Carlisle RAVED about the Celtics before the game tonight: “Derrick White’s an All-Star.” @CLNSMedia | Q: @JackSimoneNBA
Final Word for the Celtics
Boston’s season has required internal elevation.
With Tatum sidelined, Brown has assumed the offensive burden. Others have filled gaps. But White’s role has quietly expanded into something foundational. He is not just defending his assignment. He is stabilizing the entire structure. Night after night. Possession after possession.
That is why Brown’s words resonated.
Whether that leads to hardware remains to be seen.
Within the Celtics locker room, the case is already clear.