BOSTON — After Derrick White turned the fifth participant in NBA postseason historical past to make a minimum of 20 3-pointers over three consecutive video games, he was requested if he seems like he is in a rhythm.
“I would say so,” White mentioned with a smile after scoring 25 factors to steer the Boston Celtics to a 120-95 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Sport 1 of their Jap Convention semifinal sequence Tuesday night time.
“It feels good … I simply need to assist us win.”
White actually did that in Sport 1. He continued his taking pictures barrage to start these playoffs by going 7-for-12 from deep — together with 4-for-6 within the third quarter, when he scored 14 factors — to enhance to 20-for-37 (54%) over Boston’s previous three playoff video games.
He is the fifth participant to make as many as 20 3-pointers over a three-game span within the postseason, becoming a member of Stephen Curry (thrice), Klay Thompson (2016), Jamal Murray (2020) and Damian Lillard (2021-24).
White’s newest stretch of scorching taking pictures was greater than sufficient to place away the sport for the Celtics, who improved to 5-1 in these playoffs with a sport that principally felt extra like one in November or December than the primary week of Might.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was requested how a lot White being aggressive together with his shot helps Boston’s offense general.
“It is vital as a result of it means, often the photographs he takes are as a result of we’re both out in transition, we have set actually good screens and he has that, or there’s 2-on-1s and we’re making further passes,” Mazzulla mentioned.
“So I feel when these guys get an increasing number of photographs, it means we’re attending to the totally different layers of our offense, which is vital in opposition to a staff like this.”
It additionally performed an element in opening up the ground for Jaylen Brown, who completed with 32 factors on 12-for-18 taking pictures to associate with six rebounds, two assists and only a single turnover. Brown and White powered a Boston offense that roughly was in a position to do what it wished in opposition to a Cavaliers staff that was barely 48 hours faraway from surviving a rock combat of a Sport 7 in opposition to the Orlando Magic.
“There’s quite a lot of areas we are able to enhance on,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff mentioned. “I assumed the fellows got here out with the proper intent and the proper effort. Going through a staff like Boston, I feel it is good to have the ability to play them. You are not used to the velocity, the spacing, the taking pictures and all these issues till you rise up in opposition to them particularly coming from a sequence we simply got here from that was extra of a half-court slugfest the place they play with extra tempo, more room.
“We’ll study from it, and we’ll be higher on Thursday.”
The Cavaliers will must be to have an opportunity of creating this sequence aggressive. Boston recovered from going 6-for-22 within the first half from distance to drag away from Cleveland after the break regardless of a 33-point efficiency from star Donovan Mitchell.
Boston was ready to take action, largely, due to White’s newest spectacular taking pictures efficiency, simply a few seasons faraway from his struggles from deep throughout Boston’s run to the 2022 NBA Finals.
“Derrick White has grown,” Brown mentioned. “He is a brand new model that we have not seen earlier than. He is put the work in, his physique has developed a bit bit, he is bought some extra playoff expertise. And he is being aggressive, and we urge him to do this an increasing number of down the road.”
