Celtics’ White Shines Under Pressure with Historic Clutch Shooting

BOSTON, MA – Boston Celtics guard Derrick White demonstrated his remarkable shooting ability in tight games this season, posting the third-best clutch 3-point shooting percentage on record. According to Celtics.com’s Taylor Snow, clutch time refers to the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points.

This season, White’s 3-point shooting percentage during clutch situations reached 56 percent, making 14 out of 25 attempts.

Steve Nash holds the best all-time clutch 3-point shooting percentage at 63.3 percent during the 2001-02 season, while Karl-Anthony Towns comes in second with 57.7 percent in 2020-21. Alongside White, basketball legend Paul Pierce ranks fifth with a 55.2 percent mark during the 2013-14 season.

White also maintained a shooting average of 56.7 percent from the floor and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line in clutch situations, contributing positively to the team’s performance. Despite not receiving any media votes for the Clutch Player award, his contributions were undeniable. Teammate Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks won the award this season.

In the playoffs, White is averaging 23.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1 steal per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. As of Thursday afternoon, he leads all players with 10 3-pointers in the postseason.

In the Celtics’ recent 109-100 victory over the Orlando Magic, White was crucial, especially in the absence of teammate Jayson Tatum. He hit two 3-pointers in less than a minute during the fourth quarter, helping the Celtics extend their lead to 12 points and ultimately secure the win.