10:58am: Celtics head coach Ime Udoka confirmed that White is away from the team for the birth of his child, telling reporters that the veteran guard is expected to be available for Game 3 on Saturday (Twitter link via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press).
10:02am: The Celtics will likely be getting one point guard back in their lineup for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Heat on Thursday, with Marcus Smart (foot) listed as probable. However, the team’s other top point guard won’t be available.
Derrick White will miss Thursday’s contest for personal reasons, the Celtics announced today (via Twitter). The team didn’t offer any more information than that, but Keith Smith of Spotrac notes (via Twitter) that White and his wife had been expecting a child, so that could be the reason for his absence.
Acquired by the Spurs at the trade deadline, White was a key part of the Celtics’ rotation during their dominant second half of the season, averaging 11.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, and 3.4 RPG in 26 games (27.4 MPG).
White made four starts during the regular season and has made two more in the playoffs, including in Game 1 on Tuesday when Smart was out. He struggled in that contest vs. Miami’s defense, scoring just three points on 1-of-4 shooting and registering a plus-minus of -11 in Boston’s 11-point loss.
Assuming Smart plays, the Celtics will likely lean heavily on him and Payton Pritchard in the backcourt tonight.
They better pray Marcus Smart plays
Nesmith drops 20 tonight
Smart, Nesmith, Brown, Tatum, Williams
Pritchard, Grant Williams, Stauskas, either Juwan Morgan or Theis for short minutes, which isnt ideal defensively off the bench, but with Horford and White out, and the trades they made during the season hurting their depth, that’s probably the best they can go with matchup wise
Not having those 2 guys might mean shortening the rotation, and Brown and Nesmith might have to play more, at least depending on how Smart’s foot is
As a Heat fan, I’m kind of frustrated by this. Not that I’m saying they would win either way, b/c I’m definitely not saying that, and I’m still not that confident at all (so this could be a moot point), but this is just another thing that will be used as a narrative against the Heat either way, not that something like that really should matter
Boston is also a team I’ve had a lot of hopes for the last few years and they’ve decimated their depth, and now it could effect a series I was really looking forward to b/c of how similar the teams are/were
I should also point out that while this comment seems a certain way, I do think that rotation I mentioned is plenty enough to win, especially if they knock down shots, as they should be capable of doing, and especially if the Heat continue to refuse to use Duncan Robinson
Doncic register a game high minus-30 last night
Everyone is trying yo be politically correct nowadays…. White or any player should never miss a game for birth of a child. You can go when game is over or on an off day. It comes with a job territory and not a big deal if you go to hospital few hours late.
Bro, what? Yeah, it would be a hard decision, but you can’t fault anyone for this. He probably has the support of his teammates.
Regular season is ok, but not in postseason.
You’re entitled to your opinion, but so is White and his teammates. If the latter two don’t have a problem with it, I don’t see the issue. It’s not your job to dictate life-changing decisions
don’t take the chance. complications aren’t rare.
No, the birth of your kid only happens once. He’s played hundreds of basketball games and he’ll most likely play hundreds more. I’d always put family before team any day.
Dude probably wants to make his wife and fam happy more than he wants to please the fans.
So awful.
Lol, it’s not like these guys prioritize their kids. Postseason games dont come often. How many critical postseason games has he played?? Not trying to be not empathetic…. Family is indeed the most important, but they can go after the game. Gimme a break!
“…it’s not like these guys prioritize their kids.”
How would you know?
“…they can go after the game.”
Yeah, his wife can just delay the birth until he’s finished. That’s how that works, right?
He has the right to leave work to be there for the birth of his child.
Amazing I have to type things like that out.
He has EVERY right and he’s not doing anything wrong. Most of us also have those rights. However, if you are in a critical war, we might not go to the hospital. Or, if one is self-employed and was urgently occupied on that day, you might not make it to hospital UNTIL the business hours were over. Just sayin…. NOT judging White….
Lmfao you did not just compare the NBA to war. As an army combat vet, that’s ridiculous. I don’t give af how much money they make. If he wants to be with his family while they create new life, he needs to be there.
White has 3 yrs left on a $70M contract, so he has job and financial security. Maybe without it, his wife tells him to play.
What a bunch of grandstanding. Probably half would go just to check paternity or birth marks.
Otherwise the woman should have to say she needs the help. (Then it’s the boss who must go without.) But nobody should be taking the man for granted.
What do teammates’ opinions have to do with it?— Who is ever going to say “no, you must stay here!”?
Michol has cemented his place as the worst commenter on the website.