Coach Ime Udoka says Derrick White should be available for Game 5 against the Miami Heat after White suffered a hamstring injury in Boston’s Game 4 win.
White grabbed his hamstring after Udoka sat him down in the fourth quarter. White played a game-high 41 minutes Monday night and finished Game 4 with 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished six assists starting in place of the injured Marcus Smart.
In the post-game press conference, Udoka said that White “had a little cramping, but he’s fine.” Boston’s head coach went on to say that White’s contribution was crucial for the injured Celtics, who put on a dominant display in a 102-82 victory over Miami to tie the series at two apiece.
“Understanding the urgency with Marcus being out and the position he’s put in,” Udoka said. “Obviously, starting the game, [White’s] going to have the ball in his hands a lot more. [I| wanted him to be confident, aggressive, and he picked his spots well early on. They guarded him a certain way; we told him look for his shot but also get downhill and facilitate, and he does that extremely well.
“Just happened that he got the right looks, took the shots that were there, and then started finding other guys. And so, we wanted to be aggressive at all times. Talked about his jump shot may not be falling, but he does so many other things for the team, and he did that tonight.”
White’s provided Boston with depth and defensive versatility since he was traded from the Spurs in February. After feeling adhesive when he first joined the Celtics, White says the players and coaches have helped him become a pivotal cog in Boston’s playoff run.
“The team’s done a great job of just being like, be you. Smart said to me this morning, Rob [Williams] said it. I’ve just gotta do that. That makes it a lot easier.”
The Celtics will hope to take a 3-2 series lead when they travel to Miami to take on the Heat Wednesday night at FTX Arena.
