News - Celtics Triumph as Derrick White's Remarkable Night Secures Victory Over Jazz

In an electrifying showdown, Derrick White stepped up to lead the Boston Celtics to a significant 129-119 victory against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night. White's superb all-around performance included 27 points, a rare seven blocks, seven rebounds, and six assists, marking him as the first NBA player 6-foot-5 or shorter to register such stats in a single game. Supporting his extraordinary efforts, Jaylen Brown chipped in with 23 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds, although his impressive streak of nine consecutive 30-point games, equaling Larry Brown’s franchise record, was halted. The team’s depth was on display with contributions from Anfernee Simons scoring 20 points and Payton Pritchard adding 18 points alongside six assists. On the opposing side, Keyonte George turned heads with a remarkable performance, leading the Jazz with 37 points and seven assists. However, Utah's two-game winning streak came to an end. Jusuf Nurkic also stood out, tallying 26 points on near-perfect shooting, in addition to eight rebounds and eight assists, while Lauri Markkanen amassed 22 points and nine rebounds. The game unfolded with intensity as both teams exchanged leads through the second and third periods, but Boston managed to pull away decisively with a pair of 7-0 runs in the fourth quarter. Pritchard's layup in the first run extended Boston's lead to 114-105. Despite the Jazz momentarily narrowing this gap, Boston's Simons clinched the second run with a crucial corner 3-pointer, pushing the lead to 123-112 with just under four minutes remaining. Utah had a strong start, spearheaded by George, taking an early 18-6 lead and maintaining it through most of the opening quarter. Nonetheless, Boston responded fiercely in the second quarter with a blistering 11-0 rally, fueled by Simons’ sharp shooting, which put the Celtics ahead 42-38. They further extended their lead with White's three-point play, but Utah reclaimed momentum with a 22-5 burst led by George and Sensabaugh’s perimeter shooting, heading into halftime at 64-59. George remained a pivotal player for the Jazz, scoring 23 points by half on efficient shooting, but it wasn't enough as Boston's strategic runs in the later stages reaffirmed their grip on the game, underscoring the team's resilience and depth.