The Boston Celtics franchise has a long history of being a defensive-minded team. The latest iteration of Boston’s defensive culture has Jaylen Brown and Derrick White leading the way. While Brown is focusing on offensive firepower, White is determined to have his best defensive season yet. These veteran two-way players are placing themselves in premier historic company, especially White with his recent performance on December 30th, 2025.
Derrick White’s Defense Puts Him in NBA History Books
White has been a defensive stalwart since joining the NBA in 2017. His development since joining the Celtics and his contributions as a ‘three-and-D’ player have helped carry this team to multiple NBA Finals appearances. He very well could be in the argument for the greatest shot-blocking guard in NBA history. His seven blocks on December 30th against the Utah Jazz tied the single-game block record by a guard.
Famous guards from NBA history are littered throughout the list, even a former Celtic. They include: George Gervin, Julius “Dr. J’ Erving, and Dennis Johnson. Gervin of the San Antonio Spurs completed this feat in the late 1970s in a match against the Indiana Pacers. Then Dr. J accomplished this feat during the mid-1980s as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson completed this feat somewhat early in his career with the Seattle Supersonics, long before his Celtics tenure began. Two other lesser-known guards managed to match these legends. Doug Christie accomplished this feat in the year 2000 as a member of the Toronto Raptors. Shane Battier joined this group a decade later when he played for the Houston Rockets.
White has clearly joined NBA history and some great company with this new career high. Both Gervin and “Dr. J” managed to accomplish this as players in both the NBA and the ABA (American Basketball Association) before the two leagues merged. Dennis Johnson joined the Celtics several years into his career as a shooting guard, similar to White, and was a ‘three-and-D’ type of wing player and ball handler. Like White, Johnson’s style of play and intangibles as a veteran helped Boston earn their final NBA title of the eighties. The importance of Whites defense cannot be overlooked in Boston’s battle for banner 19.
Can White’s Playstyle Clear A Path Towards Boston’s 19th Banner?
His seven blocks from December 30th tied the NBA record for blocks by a guard and set Boston’s franchise record for the same category. This clearly provides a path towards a top seed in the playoffs. The veteran guard has an almost perfect skillset for the modern NBA, with its focus on versatile defenders and three-point scoring. At 6-foot-4, White’s size and length make him a menace for offenses around the league. Not only is his blocking vision elite, but his ability to get steals is a nightmare for his opponents. His career blocks and steals per game (0.9 for each) are nothing to sniff at; however, this season’s showing is a career high in both categories. He is currently averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game.
Despite being in his ninth NBA season, White is still clearly in his prime. After all, he is only 31 years old. His defensive numbers are not the only career marks he is setting this season. Shooting stats like field goal attempts, three-point shot attempts, and overall scoring are all at career highs this season. This is likely due to the increased usage rate as a result of not having Jayson Tatum in the lineup. White is also tying his career mark in average assists (5.2), which matches his output from Boston’s championship season in 2024.
It should be clear to anyone with marginal basketball intelligence — Derrick White’s skillset and two-way style of play lead to winning basketball.
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