Appreciating the scale of Derrick White's play for the Celtics

Sometimes, you just know it's good.

A well-timed joke in the middle of conversation. That screenpass you've been saving for the fourth quarter in Madden becauseyour buddy's been spamming a run blitz on early downs. A perfectlyplaced bass run in the midst of a groove, for my musician friendsreading this.

There's something about sensing an opening, taking advantage ofsaid-opening andimmediatelyknowing you madethe right decision. Said the right thing, chose the right thing. Itjust feelsgood.

That had to be the Derrick White trade for the Boston Celticslast season.

For a team that wants to lock you down defensively — by erasinggaps with well-timed switching, or siccing its in-your-jerseydefenders on unsuspecting ball-handlers while the big hangs back ina drop — White served as a perfect target.

There were a handful of players in the league that couldnavigate screens like White; close down on ball-handlers with peskyrearview contests; switch onto bigger players and swipe the ballaway, or beat them to spots to draw timely charges. The Celticswere tough enough with Marcus Smart; to add another guy like thatinto the fold felt unfair.

And for a team trying to fully commit to moving the ball, aselementary as that sounds, White also served as the perfect target.The Celtics were just hitting their stride as an offense that couldcreate andmaintain advantages in the half-courtwithout halting the show. White's ability to fit in — heck, hiswillingness to fit in — made him an easy fit.

He could initiate ball-screens, come off handoffs, set pin-inscreens on the weak side, set pindowns for the stars to come offof, and act as an on-ball screener to force defenses into toughdecisions. The shooting would serve as a bellwether of sorts, butWhite fit into just about everything the Celtics wanted to do onboth ends.

White integrated well last season, though inconsistentthree-point shooting — and waning aggressiveness — reared its uglyhead during the playoff run.

This season, he's been even better. More comfortable, moreaggressive. More efficient. For nearly a month now, he's just beenmore, period.