{"id":648423,"date":"2026-03-09T06:37:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T06:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/648423\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T06:37:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T06:37:13","slug":"cavaliers-kenny-atkinson-explains-top-5%e2%80%b2-praise-for-celtics-derrick-white","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/648423\/","title":{"rendered":"Cavaliers\u2019 Kenny Atkinson explains \u2018top 5\u2032 praise for Celtics\u2019 Derrick White"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cavaliers\u2019 Kenny Atkinson explains \u2018top 5\u2032 praise for Celtics\u2019 Derrick White<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The winds may be starting to blow in a different direction in the Eastern Conference. All season long, the Detroit Pistons have reigned atop the Eastern Conference. But the Boston Celtics<\/a> are closing in on them with speed and force. On Sunday, the Celtics took down another East contender<\/a>, the Cleveland Cavaliers, 109-98 to move to 43-21 on the season and just 2.5 games back of the Pistons in the standings.<\/p>\n

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The Celtics may be peaking<\/a> at the right time, and what makes this season so masterful for everyone involved in the franchise is that they managed to excel and hold down the fort even amid Jayson Tatum\u2019s injury. Now that Tatum is back, the Celtics might be the favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n

But for as much fanfare Tatum and Jaylen Brown draw for their consistent excellence, the Celtics won\u2019t be able to go anywhere without their beating heart in Derrick White<\/a>, who drew such lofty praise<\/a> from Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson<\/a> after their tussle on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201c[He\u2019s] a top five player in the league,\u201d Atkinson said of White, via Celtics on CLNS on X. \u201cThat\u2019s how we treat him. He really disrupts you defensively, he\u2019s an elite rim protector. Probably the best guard rim protector in the league. So just take all those things and put it in there and with the shooting, you got a great player.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celtics\u2019 Derrick White is a coach\u2019s dream\"Gary<\/p>\n

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Many fans were stunned when White was getting minutes even over Tatum for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics. But it made sense. He can fit into every lineup. He can defend multiple positions, and he relishes doing the dirty work. And beyond that, he\u2019s also one of the best volume three-point marksmen in the NBA.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat probably people aren\u2019t measuring is his defensive impact \u2026 analytically I think it\u2019s probably proven in various places that he is that player and that\u2019s how we treat him,\u201d Atkinson added.<\/p>\n

Related: Shaq shamelessly admits he has no idea about 1 Celtics player<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: Celtics\u2019 Jayson Tatum shouts out his \u2018crying\u2019 mom on International Women\u2019s Day<\/a><\/p>\n