Having two of the NBA's top 10-15 guys is a recipe for success in the league. The Boston Celtics have such luxury with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, for Beantown legend Kevin Garnett , the two-way backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White makes the C's unique and almost invincible.
The Big Ticket shared his two cents in the recent Ticket & The Truth episode and explained why Boston's guard combo takes the team to the next level.
"If you ain't got a 1-2 that could be two-way, you can't play with the Cs," Garnett said emphatically. "I have been in the lab this whole summer. Do you know what really distinguish the Cs? That Holiday and D-White combination. And guess what? They switch you, and you think you got the lesser of the two?... If you ain't ready for that, you can't beat the C's."
"They set the precedent in the East. If your guard play ain't this, you can't play," concluded the 2004 NBA MVP.
The Perfect Blend
The Jays led Boston to five Conference Finals appearances and one NBA Finals stint from 2017 to 2023, yet they couldn't get over the hump. To achieve the ideal mix of two-way play, Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens moved pieces around, acquiring White in the middle of the 2021-22 season and Holiday at the beginning of 2023-24.
These acquisitions made former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart dispensable. Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III were also collateral damage to make room for change. Amidst all the chaos, Stevens somehow pulled off a coup by landing Kristaps Porzingis from the Wizards. With that, the wheels were officially set in motion.
What the Numbers Say
Charles Barkley called Holiday the most valuable Celtic , and he's not wrong. He averaged under 15 points, eight rebounds, and four assists on insane efficiency (54/42/100). The 2021 NBA champion did a terrific job as the utility guy, especially in slowing down Kyrie Irving. With Holiday breathing down Irving's neck, the Mavs All-Star was held to 41.4% shooting from the floor and a measly 27.6% from downtown.
Like his backcourt partner, D-White is a superstar in his role. His averages won't jump off the page, but as the fourth to fifth-best player on the team, the former Colorado Buffalo's value is through the roof. As Lee Dresie of Pounding the Rock said , every team doesn't need a guy like Kyrie but needs someone like Derrick White.
"Derrick is special," 38-year-old Celtics teammate Al Horford said . "Derrick is such a special player. He's a winner. He wants to be in these positions and these moments. It's just unbelievable how he continues to find ways to impact the game. Offense, defense, whatever it is, he's doing something to impact winning."
When the smoke cleared in the playoffs, White put up almost 17 points per game, four rebounds, and four dimes on 45/40/92 shooting splits. Unsurprisingly, the Celtics are 49-14 when these two play together, including 16-3 in the 2024 postseason.
Will the Boston Celtics be the first to repeat as champions since the 2018 Warriors? Time will tell, but with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White in the mix, the Celtics just might pull it off.
Related: Paul Pierce says Derrick White is his favorite player on the Celtics: "He is a younger version of Jrue Holiday"
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