Derrick White’s dentist has some work to do after the NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics guard had a tooth dislodged after taking a nasty blow to the face Monday in Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
White dove to the floor to chase a loose ball during the second quarter of play. Mavericks center Dereck Lively landed right on top of White’s head, which violently banged into the hardwood.
Derrick White: Hockey Guy pic.twitter.com/OnHmxm0QKG
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 18, 2024
The game was momentarily stopped as blood started gushing out of White’s mouth. A photo of White has since gone viral on social media, which shows the aftermath of his face-first collision with the TD Garden floor.
Derrick White chipped his tooth after hitting his face on the court 😬 pic.twitter.com/BkFnrkVcMs
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 18, 2024
The fact that White still mustered a smile on his face points to just how locked-in he was toward winning a championship. But White’s dedication to his team wasn’t enough to spare him from ridicule.
“Ooh, you sure is [sic] ugly,” Jaylen Brown joked when he caught a glimpse of White’s crooked front tooth.
Jaylen Brown to Derrick White:
“Ooooh, you sure is ugly” 😭 pic.twitter.com/SIv0VnvvHF
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 18, 2024
White has been an unsung hero for the Celtics all season long. He entered Game 5 as the Celtics’ third-leading scorer in the postseason, averaging 16.9 points to go along with 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
