"Not afraid to get dunked on": Derrick White dissects his block on PJ Washington, says it's all part of the game
The Boston Celtics averted a late comeback by the Dallas Mavericks during Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals, thanks in large part to Derrick White's block on PJ Washington in the final minutes of the game. This play served as a turning point for the Celtics, who halted the Mavs' momentum.
The Mavs trailed by as much as a dozen points in the fourth quarter and managed to trim it down to five with 54 seconds left in the game. A fast break play by Kyrie Irving in an attempt to make it a three-point game found PJ Washington sprinting on the other side hoping for an easy two points.
A strong dunk was on Washington's mind to secure the two points, but White jumped high and got his hand on the ball from behind.
During the press conference, Derrick White told the media what his mentality was during the defensive stop.
"I think just that I'm not afraid to get dunked on allows me to get some of that," White said. "Maybe some people wouldn't have gotten. I'm just trying to make a play, just believe in my abilities and what I can do."
Joe Mazzulla lauds Derrick White's impact on the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics now own a commanding 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks and head coach Joe Mazulla gave credit to the selfless acts of Derrick White that helped them get to where they are right now.
During Game 2, White tallied 18 points, five rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks. He also had four three-pointers all in 38 minutes of playing time.
For Joe Mazzulla, the former Colorado Buffalo has been the team's Swiss army knife who does it all.
"I think it just comes back to he is not defined by one thing. He is not a-- he is a little bit of everything," said Mazulla. "He is another guy that is selfless and wants to impact the game any way he can."
Leading the Celtics in scoring was Jrue Holiday with 26 points while Jaylen Brown was not far behind with 21. Jayson Tatum flirted with a triple-double with 18 points, 12 assists and nine boards during the victory.
The 2024 NBA Finals will shift to Dallas, Texas for Games 3 and 4. Both teams will have ample rest time for travel and recuperation with Game 3 happening at the American Airlines Center on June 12.