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Celtics Honor Derrick White for Defensive Excellence Before Hornets Matchup
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- Celtics Honor Derrick White for Defensive Excellence Before Hornets Matchup
Derrick White and the Boston Celtics have been on a torrid pace this last month of basketball. In February, the Celtics posted a 9-2 record, good enough for the second-best mark in the NBA for the month, only behind Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs . The Celtics sit atop the Atlantic Division with a 41-20 record, placing them No. 2 for the entire Eastern Conference. Boston blew out the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, 108-81, and will face the Charlotte Hornets in TD Garden on Wednesday night.
Entering the season knowing the Celtics team would be without superstar Jayson Tatum , White has stepped up his play as a key contributor for the Celtics. White leads the team in assists per game, 5.8, steals per game, 1.2, and even blocks per game, an absurd 1.5 for a guard. The former Colorado Buffaloes standout has always been a defensive stalwart for the Celtics, but he stepped his game even more in February.
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Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) looks on during a game.Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
For the month of February, White was otherworldly defensively. In the 11 February games, White had six with double-digit blocks. Some examples of White's heightened dominance include four-block games against the Miami Heat on Feb. 6 and the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 19, and three-block games against the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets .
For his elite production and defensive prowess, White was awarded the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month. In the Western Conference, Wemby has been the driving force behind the Spurs' undefeated February record, and he was also awarded Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month.
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"An absolute dawg on defense 😤," Celtics wrote on X. "Congrats, Derrick."
The Celtics will continue to rely on White's production while the team awaits the return of Tatum. Boston's next game is at home against the Hornets on March 4th at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Related: Celtics Announce Neemias Queta Injury Update Before Bucks Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
