Derrick White on winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week: “I thought Payton should have won it”  

Derrick White spoke to the media at shootaround today for the first time since being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, and said he thought a different teammate should have instead the earned the honors.

“Honestly, I thought Payton should have won the award,” White told reporters.

For games played from March 18 to 24, White averaged 20.3 points, 8.8 assists, and 6.5 rebounds as the Celtics won four straight. Pritchard put up comparable but slightly lower numbers, averaging 19.3 points, 7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in the undefeated stretch. Pritchard was also nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Week, but White ultimately won.

White credited the team for the recognition, which was his first of the season and second of his career.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “I’m just thankful to be a part of this team, and just being 4-0 when I was playing was a big reason for it.”

Jrue Holiday missed all four games played last week, which meant White and Pritchard each had more touches. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each missed one game in that span as well.

“You just get more opportunities, more chance to be more aggressive, I guess,” White said, when asked about his pattern of stepping up when the team is shorthanded. “It just happens when most people are out, just being aggressive, and trying to make plays.”

At shootaround, White also said he had a lot of fun at Tuesday night’s Maine Celtics game in College Park and laughed at Jordan Walsh’s notion that he wanted to show the team he was ‘not a bum.’

“It was cool for me to go back there and support them,” White said. “I understand, because I was part of it — sometimes you feel you might have gotten forgotten. That’s probably what Jordan was saying. But he’s not forgotten. We’re always checking in on him and seeing how he’s doing.”