Derrick White vows to play better in Game 3 for Celtics vs. Sixers

TL;DR

Derrick White acknowledges his poor performance in Game 2 against the Sixers and vows to improve for Game 3. He emphasized the need for better contributions from himself and the team to secure a win.

Key points

Derrick White vows to improve for Game 3
Celtics lost Game 2 to the Sixers by 14 points
White shot 3-12 from the field in Game 2
Celtics starters combined for 22 points outside of Brown and Tatum
White emphasizes learning from playoff losses

Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ersDerrick WhiteJaylen Brown

In the Boston Celtics 14-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 on Tuesday night, they struggled to contributions outside of their superstars in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Brown paved the way with a game-high 36 points in the 111-97 loss to Philly, but the other Boston starters: Derrick White, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta combined for just 22 points between the three of them. White, who has been one of Boston's most consistent players on both ends of the court, struggled in Game 2, shooting 3-12 from the field, and 2-10 from 3-point range. After the loss, the veteran spoke with reporters and acknowledged he has to play better in order to give his team a better chance at victory.

Apr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images "I'm just trying to take what's given, honestly," White told reporters on Wednesday after practice. "Just looking to space the floor, and when you get a shot, you have to take it. Honestly, I just have to play better and so that's all I'm focused on for Game 3." White would go on to discuss what he saw during film session after the loss and how the process takes place after a playoff game. "When you lose a game in the playoffs you feel like it's the end of the world. You see there's these little pockets of the game here that you see, this is why we were losing, and why they went on a run. You see what plays we should've made and could've made that might've changed the whole game, and you can get that from a win but they say it's easy to learn from a loss and all those little plays that go into winning and losing are things we can control." Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Blue Wire: iTunes: YouTube: *This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: *

Q&A

What did Derrick White say about his performance in Game 2?

Derrick White admitted he needs to play better after shooting 3-12 from the field in the Celtics' loss to the Sixers.

How many points did the Celtics' starters score in Game 2 against the Sixers?

The Celtics' starters, excluding Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, combined for just 22 points in the 111-97 loss.

What are Derrick White's plans for Game 3 against the Sixers?

Derrick White plans to focus on improving his performance and contributing more to help the Celtics win in Game 3.