“I don’t know, I would just go into the arena and I just didn’t have the same amount of joy and my energy kind of affected it”. Derrick White’s candid remarks during Saturday’s practice session provided a reason behind the player’s initial slump. The Celtics squad is performing well. In fact, it’s better than just “well”—the team currently ranks 3rd in the league for wins this season. Unfortunately, White wasn’t up to the mark individually, with his shooting and 3-point percentage plummeting. Fortunately, the last few games have seen the player improve drastically. Joe Mazzulla credits White for this.

The Celtics head coach sat down for an interview after the team’s recent 118-105 win against the New York Knicks. Derrick White’s remarks during the practice session surfaced, with Mazzulla being asked whether he had seen a change in the player’s demeanor. The coach highlighted when a player becomes better and generates more success, the expectations automatically grow on him.

Increased expectations, in turn, rob one of joy!

The key is to figure out how to play with a genuine smile and sense of happiness while fulfilling the set expectations. The latest game suggests White has finally solved the puzzle.

“And so, when he’s at his best, he plays carefree. He makes big shots like he did tonight, and he just defends at a super high level, and uh, you know,” said Mazzulla. Because of the recovery, Mazzulla expressed satisfaction that White experienced the struggle. After all, “It was important for his growth. It was important for us to see him struggle because it shows how much we need him, and it was important for him to fight for that confidence because, you know, he’s one of the best point guards in the league, and when he plays like that, we’re a different team.”

The recent Celtics-Knicks matchup saw Derrick White helping the offensive effort with his 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. On the shooting front, he went 7-10 (70.0%) with his field goals and 5-6 (83.3%) with his 3-pointers. His field goal and 3-point percentage were the highest after a 21-game period. White’s shots came in handy when the Knicks had managed to slash a 27-point deficit down to 4 after Karl-Anthony Towns hit a 31-foot 3-pointer with 11:32 remaining in the 4 quarter. After all, the Celtics point guard made all three of his 3-point attempts in the final period. This included a 26-footer on the possession right after Towns’s three. White’s ability to come out during the clutch period earned him the respect of his teammates.

“I think why we love him so much, obviously is just who he is, and how he plays in general,” said Kristaps Porzingis. “But one thing I love about him is he always makes big shots. When we’re a little bit flat or whatever he can hit some deep corner threes or some clutch threes. He has it in his blood, you know?”

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown reportedly credit themselves for being responsible for lifting teammates. Regarding Derrick White, Tatum revealed he reminded White about how much the team needs him and that seeing him rediscover his joy is “super important”. Meanwhile, Brown reportedly focuses on “encouraging our guys to be aggressive and to be who they are.”

Whatever they did helped Derrick White get his mojo back. A fact that Derrick White appreciated since he prioritized execution.

Joe Mazzulla urged Celtics locker room to focus more on depth after Derrick White’s clutch performance

The recent Celtics win could have easily slipped from the team. This was seen when the 27-point lead was reduced to 4 in the final quarter. Fortunately, Derrick White’s clutch performance helped to save the team. However, such instances are not something Mazzulla wants to see be repeated. Therefore, during the presser, the Celtics head coach highlighted his belief that “what separates winning streaks and separates separating yourself in the standings, and as a team, is winning close games and then winning games when you’re not fully healthy.”

He highlighted the 27 games last year, and the team played with two to three players sidelined. This did not stop the Celtics from going on a 22-5 run in that setting. Therefore, depth should not become an excuse when looking to close games.

“It’s doing the things that are important to winning close games, especially 4 quarter execution. Ending quarters better, and then being able to win games when you don’t have everybody. That’s a big thing, because it shows how important the role guys are, the bench guys are,” Mazzulla added.

Notably, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder raised the bar to become the leading candidates for the NBA championship. “And so, it was good for us to go through that and we may go through it again. I mean, it’s going to get only harder, and so uh we have all the information, and we have the mentality that we need to go through those things.”

Do you think the upcoming games can see Derrick White further improve his position and stats? Let us know in the comments below.