BOSTON — When Derrick White was traded to the Celtics at last season’s trade deadline, he was admittedly tentative. The guard experienced a difficult transition to his new team, being careful to not step on any toes on a championship-level squad.
What a difference a year makes.
White formed an important role on the Celtics in their NBA Finals run but struggled with consistency. But after a summer allowed him to breathe and reset, the guard has settled in and become one of the Celtics’ most valuable players this season. There was no greater example of that than on Friday night. On the one-year anniversary of his trade to Boston, White showed how far he’s come by erupting for a career-high 31 points on a career-best eight 3-pointers to fuel the Celtics’ 127-116 victory over the Hornets at TD Garden.