BOSTON — NBA coaches will be voting on the All-Star reserves, which will be announced next month for each conference. Jaylen Brown has already earned a spot in the starting five but it looks unlikely he will have any company from Boston’s roster at first glance. Derrick White is averaging a career-high 17.7 points per game but his efficiency numbers (career-low 39.1 percent from field, 32.4 percent from 3-point range) put a clear dent in his chances.
However, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t going to let those numbers detract from White’s impact as he signaled the Celtics guard would be getting at least one All-Star vote in the coming days.
“Derrick White is an All-Star,” Carlisle said before Wednesday’s game against Boston. “He’s an All-Star player. He’s eighth in the league in blocked shots. He’s such an important part of their team. He’s playing very well and they are up in the standings.”
White’s defensive impact has been significant as he’s averaging career-highs in blocks (1.5) and steals (1.3) to help an undersized Boston defense hold their own. The Celtics currently rank 14th in defensive efficiency despite the offseason roster overhaul and Jayson Tatum’s absence due to an Achilles tear.
The buzz around White being voted as an All-Star has lessened in recent weeks as the guard has dealt with a shooting slump over the past two weeks (3-of-20 in last four games from 3-point range). However, it’s evident hearing from coaches around the league that there’s a respect for White that goes beyond his numbers. White’s own coach and teammates shared that sentiment after Wednesday’s win over the Pacers.
“He’s not defined by shooting efficiency,” Joe Mazzulla said. “I think, to me, that’s a bonus, and that’s obviously something that makes us different. But at the end of the day, his pick-and-roll passing, his defensive versatility, his ability to sprint and get back tips, which has helped us get back into games at times. So I think it’s hard to recognize all the other stuff, and it’s just easy to notice the shooting inefficiencies, because its right there.”
Jaylen Brown had a strong pitch about White on Wednesday night as well.
“D-White has been a two-way player all year,” Brown said. “I know we live in an era where that doesn’t get as much praise or respect. That contributes to winning a lot. I think D-White has been playing at an All-Star level because he plays both sides of the ball, and that’s no disrespect to some of the other guys that are maybe in All-Star contention. But it’s a clear difference. I think Derrick is first-team All-Defensive type of ballot or maybe even Defensive Player of the Year.”
With Tatum sidelined and Boston still holding the second seed in the Eastern Conference, White’s been integral to the Celtics’ success. If coaches award his record, he will have a shot over players with bigger numbers on losing teams (Pascal Siakam, Michael Porter Jr.).
All-Star reserves will be announced on Feb. 1.