With two starters out for a back-to-back against the Rockets on Wednesday night, the Celtics needed an offensive boost. They got one and then some from Derrick White.
The veteran guard took over the game in the third quarter scoring 14 of his 28 points in the frame, making him Wednesday’s “Name to Know” Player of the Game. The Name to Know Player of the Game is [sponsored by John’s Sewer and Drain Cleaning, the Name to Know when your drains don’t flow](https://johnsewer.com/?utm_source=mlm&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mlm_local_site_articlesponsor_celtics_playerofgame&utm_content=celtics).
The scoring explosion for White came at a perfect time, as he had been dealing with a shooting slump for the past week, failing to knock down more than 43 percent of his shots in any game over the past week.
The shorthanded Celtics were without star Jaylen Brown and sharpshooter Sam Hauser on Wednesday night, leaving White to pick up the offensive load. He did just that in the third quarter, knocking down four 3-point attempts in the period. The scoring came largely from isolation situations as White shook off tough Rocket defenders to create scoring chances.
The stellar display paved the way for Boston to turn a tight game at halftime into a rout as Boston outscored Houston 36-21 in the third quarter and led by double digits the rest of the way.
White finished with a game-high 28 points and 8 assists to help guide Boston to their fourth straight win ahead of the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. White and the Celtics now head back to Boston for a three-game homestand before the All-Star break beginning on Friday night against the Heat.