Awards

Taylor Snow

BOSTON – Derrick White served as the Boston Celtics’ most consistent and durable defender this season, leading them to the No. 2 defensive ranking in the league. For that, he was rewarded Tuesday afternoon, as the NBA announced that the 28-year-old guard had been voted to its All-Defensive Second Team.

White was asked a couple of hours before the announcement about the potential of being named to one of the All-Defensive teams, and although his primary focus was on his team's upcoming Game 5 matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers later that night, he admitted that it would be a prideful achievement to be recognized in such a manner.

“That’d be a pretty cool honor,” he said at Boston's morning shootaround. “It’s a lot of hard work and effort. I’m not too focused on it, obviously. But it would probably mean a lot – especially to my dad.”

White’s father, Richard, is a Boston native who grew up a diehard Celtics fan. He, along with all of Celtics Nation are most certainly proud of what their No. 9 accomplished.

This is the first end-of-season award that White has earned in his career, and it couldn’t be any more deserved. In fact, his statistical impact could’ve easily landed him on the First Team.

White led all guards in blocked shots (76) and shot contests (507), including 335 contests from inside the 3-point arc. The next-closest number of contested 2-pointers by a guard was Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s mark of 245.

Those 76 blocks were also 15 more than any other player on the Celtics, which is a remarkable feat for a player who is only 6-foot-4. The only other guard in franchise history with more blocks in a season was Reggie Lewis, who surpassed that total in three separate campaigns.

Among Celtics starters, White had by far the best defensive rating with a mark of 107.2. The next-lowest mark was Jayson Tatum at 110.8. White was also fourth on the team in steals (54) and fifth in both defensive rebounds (241) and total rebounds (293). In addition, he had the highest plus/minus among all Eastern Conference players at plus-488.

“He’s one of those guys out there that makes the game easier for everybody because he knows how to play,” said White's Sixth Man of the Year teammate, Malcolm Brogdon. “He’s incredibly versatile and can impact the game in a lot of ways.”

Perhaps White’s most impactful trait was his durability. He was one of only 10 NBA players to not miss a single game and he became the first Celtics player to appear in all 82 contests since Isaiah Thomas in 2015-16. As a result, he played the third-most minutes (2,319.3) on the team behind Jayson Tatum (2,732.2) and Jaylen Brown (2,404.9).

White is the seventh guard in Celtics history to earn All-Defensive team honors, along with John Havlicek, Don Chaney, Dennis Johnson, Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, and Marcus Smart.

He’s the third different Celtic to make it to one of the teams over the past two years after Smart and Rob Williams did so last season.

Smart nearly made the All-Defensive Team for the fourth time in his career, earning the most votes among any player who did not make either team. The 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year’s 12 First Team votes were three times as many as Second-Teamer Dillon Brooks (four); however, the Memphis guard received 46 Second Team votes to Smart’s 11. The fact that Smart missed 21 games this season played into his not making either team.

The only other Celtic to receive votes was Jaylen Brown, who earned one First Team vote and two Second Team votes.

White’s 24 First Team votes were the most among any player who didn’t make the top team. He was beat out by Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday (94 First Team votes) and Chicago’s Alex Caruso (50 First Team votes) at the guard position. Though, he very well could have made the First Team with the fantastic defensive statistics he produced.

Either way, a Second Team nod is an incredible honor for a player in his first full season with a team, explained head coach Joe Mazzulla. "It’s always an adjustment playing in our system, and I think he’s done a great job of navigating that, being effective in different areas of our defensive system. And so I’m happy for him. It’s great to see our guys take ownership of stuff like that.

White was as reliable, consistent, and durable as anyone could have hoped he would be on the defensive end, and he was the primary reason why the C’s were one of the top two defenses in the league.

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White Earns All-Defensive Honors in First Full Season with C's

BOSTON – When Marcus Smart entered the Auerbach Center gym Monday afternoon, his teammates were waiting for him with a surprise gift – a gift that hadn’t been received by an NBA guard in nearly three decades: the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year trophy.

Smart became the first perimeter player to earn the recognition since Gary Payton in 1995-96 and fittingly, the Hall-of-Fame point guard and former Celtic was on hand to present the trophy.

As soon as Payton announced the reason for his presence, Smart was engulfed by his water cup-welding teammates and doused in a celebratory shower – an appropriate way to end such a long drought.

“First off, I definitely want to thank you guys: my coaching staff, teammates,” Smart addressed his peers after drying himself off and taking hold of the basketball-shaped, glass hardware. “It’s not easy playing in this league full of guys like Jayson and Jaylen who score the m************ ball the way they do and getting the recognition on that defensive end, trying to guard those guys every night. This is eight years, man, just trying to do what I do. You guys allowed me to do that.”

Over eight seasons, Smart has put a lifetime of effort into his play on the defensive end. He guards the best perimeter scorers on a regular basis and consistently finds ways to reduce their effectiveness. He’s constantly hustling, diving for loose balls, deflecting passes, taking charges, fighting through screens – doing all the dirty work and little things that contribute to winning.

The NBA hadn’t rewarded a player of his type in many years, largely because perimeter defenders don’t typically stack up with interior defenders from a statistical standpoint, such as in the rebounding and shot-blocking categories.

“It’s understandable why it was such a big man award,” reflected Smart, the second DPOY in Celtics history along with Kevin Garnett in 2007-08. “They do so much in helping their team on that end. We give so much credit to the big men. But those guards, they’ve been working, we’re the front line; you have to get past us first, and that’s how us guards feel.

"To be able to be named the Defensive Player of the Year and be the first guard since Gary Payton in 1996 to win this, it just shows that it can be done. The way the game is changing, the guards have been more recognized for their ability to do certain things we shouldn’t be able to do at our size, and this award and me winning it opens the path for guards in the future.”

Over the past few seasons, Smart has gained an increasing number of supporters, such as Payton, who recognize his value.

“You’re a guy,” Payton told Smart before handing over the trophy, “that reminds me of myself. Everybody asks me about it all the time and it’s you. You play that ‘D’ the way you’re supposed to. You play it with a chip on your shoulder and some heart.”

Enough heart to finally overcome the statistical barriers that stood both in his way and in the way of every other perimeter defender over the past three decades. Though, that’s not to say that Smart didn’t put up any impressive numbers. He still ranked sixth in steals, fourth in loose balls recovered, and first in deflections per game.

However, what he did beyond the numbers was far more important. Smart is the vocal leader of Boston’s defense, a coach on the floor. He directs his teammates and helps them to become better defenders and his constant communication is what led the Celtics to earn the best defensive rating in the NBA.

Rob Williams, one of the most improved defenders in the league, can vouch for that.

"A lot of my defensive grit and my will to fight out there I get from just watching him,” said Williams, who finished seventh in the voting for DPOY. “Even in practice, him being vocal. On the court, he’s a great defensive anchor for us, but he’s a better leader. And he doesn’t even know it. He’s always talking, putting guys where they need to be.”

As a result, Smart finds himself exactly where he’s meant to be: at the top of the podium, owning the most prestigious defensive honor.

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Smart Earns DPOY, Ends 26-Year Drought for Guards

Boston Celtics

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BOSTON, MA – Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, the NBA announced today. It’s the second consecutive season, and the second time in his six-year NBA career that he’s received All-Defensive recognition.

Smart, 26, surpassed the 100-steal mark for the third time in his NBA career in 2019-20, despite the team’s reduced 72-game schedule. He tallied a career-best 0.5 blocked shots per game, and was one of four NBA guards to produce at least 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per game.

After receiving All-Defensive honors for the first time in his NBA career in 2018-19, Smart becomes the first Celtics player to receive All-Defensive First Team honors in consecutive seasons since Rajon Rondo in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Appearing in 60 games for the Celtics this season (40 starts), Smart recorded career highs in points (12.9), assists (4.9), and minutes played (32.0).

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Marcus Smart Named to NBA All-Defensive First Team

Marc D'Amico

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BOSTON – Friday was another great day to be a two-way player for the Boston Celtics.

The NBA G League announced Friday afternoon that both of Boston’s two-way players, Tremont Waters and Tacko Fall, had earned G League end-of-season awards.

Waters, who was recently named the league’s Rookie of the Year and who finished third in the league’s MVP voting, added to his list of accolades by earning All-NBA G League Second Team and NBA G League All-Rookie Team honors.

Fall, meanwhile, was named to the NBA G League All-Defensive Team.

These two players have both shown significant promise and growth since joining the Celtics this past summer. C's head coach Brad Stevens has commented multiple times on the upside and development that he has seen in each of them.

“I like the two-ways, and we like both of ours and they’ve progressed really well,” he said March 3, just a week before the NBA went on hiatus. “I think Tremont’s had a year where he’s probably going to be in the mix as one of the better players in the G League, and I think Tacko has improved as much as anybody, just watching him and seeing him and being around him on a daily basis”

Stevens was rather accurate in his forecast, as the G League’s Friday announcements attest.

Waters, who was chosen with the 51st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has made an impact far beyond his 5-foot-10 frame ever since his debut in the 2019 NBA Summer League. He went on to average 18.0 points. 7.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game during 36 games with the Maine Red Claws this season. His top performance for Maine arrived during a Nov. 27 win over the Greensboro Swarm, during which he tallied a season-high 33 points to go along with seven assists, two steals and one rebound.

Waters also appeared in 10 games for the Celtics, during which the team went 8-2. He logged a positive plus/minus rating during six of those 10 appearances, including a career-best plus-20 during a Nov. 25 win over Sacramento.

Fall, who signed with Boston as an undrafted free agent, also logged gaudy statistics for Maine despite averaging only 23.3 minutes of playing time per contest. He finished the season with averages of 12.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. He ranked third in the G League in blocked shots and sixth in rebounding.

During 29 games with the Red Claws, Fall registered 11 games with at least four blocks, including a season-best nine blocks March 8 against the Windy City Bulls. He also registered double-digit rebounding games in all but eight of his full games, highlighted by a season-best 18 rebounds that he logged twice against the College Park Skyhawks, on both Dec. 29 and Feb. 20.

The top performance of Fall’s G League season was a 16-point, 14 rebound, nine-block performance March 8, during which he shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the field.

As these numbers indicate, there was no shortage of great days for these two players during their first respective professional seasons as two-way players for the Celtics and the Red Claws. Friday added to the list – a list that is sure to grow as these two young careers continue to blossom.

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G League Honors Highlight Development by Waters, Fall in Maine

BOSTON – Celtics two-way player and Maine Red Claws star point guard Tremont Waters has been named NBA G League Rookie of the Year for the 2019-20 season.

If the award’s recent history is of any indication, Waters is well on his way to a successful NBA career.

Waters, whom the Celtics drafted 51st overall during the 2019 NBA Draft, averaged 18.0 points, 7.3 assists 3.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game over 36 contests this season with the Red Claws. The speedy point guard notched 10 performances of at least 20 points and seven assists while making his case for the award.

Waters also appeared in 10 games this season for the Celtics, including three which featured at
least 15 minutes of action. His plus/minus rating during those three contests was plus-20, plus-17 and plus-6, respectively, which indicates just how impactful he’s been even at the NBA level.

“He’s really talented. He’s really good,” Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said of Waters back in February. “I think there’s another level for him, and that’s going to be something that we’ve got to really work hard with him on.”

That next level, presumably, includes a full-time gig in the NBA, which could very well be on the horizon for the rookie guard based upon recent history of G League Rookie of the Year winners.

This award has been a predictor of future NBA success over the last six seasons. Five of the last six G League Rookie of the Year winners, including two who won the award as members of the Red Claws, went on to earn full-time NBA contracts shortly after winning the award.

The most recent winner, Angel Delgado, is the exception, as he chose to head overseas for his pay day after earning the award last season.

The list of success stories begins with Robert Covington, who won the award in 2014 and has gone on to start 340 games over the six NBA seasons since. Tim Frazier and Abdel Nader, who won the award with Maine in 2015 and 2017, respectively, have each been important role players for their NBA teams ever since. Quinn Cook helped the Warriors win a title in 2018 two years after winning the award, and he has also been an NBA player ever since.

The 2018 winner, Antonio Blakeney, signed with Chicago last season before heading overseas this season.

That’s a pretty long list of success stories that are tied to the G League Rookie of the Year award. The success of these recent winners is no guarantee that Waters will reach similar heights, but it sure is a strong indication of the talent Waters brings to the table.

That talent was on full display throughout his shortened season in Maine, as well as during his appearances with the Celtics so far this season. He has shown both poise and promise while exciting the Celtics about what’s to come in his career.

“We’re so happy for Tremont,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “He had a fantastic G League season on both ends of the court, and continued to improve all the facets of his game while leading a winning team. This recognition is well-deserved.”

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ROY Award Suggests Waters is on Track for NBA Success

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BOSTON – Jayson Tatum logged one of the most impressive rookie seasons in Boston Celtics history, and now he’s being rightfully recognized for it.

The NBA announced Tuesday that the first-year forward has been selected to the All-Rookie First Team, alongside Los Angeles’ Kyle Kuzma, Chicago’s Lauri Markkanen, Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons.

After being drafted No. 3 overall in the 2017 Draft, it was unclear initially how big of a role Tatum would have with the Celtics. He was joining a stacked roster that included three former All-Stars along with an abundance of rising talent, so he knew that he’d have to fight in order to earn significant playing time.

Tatum’s window of opportunity would open up sooner than expected. On Opening Night, the Celtics lost star forward Gordon Hayward to a season-ending leg injury, and they immediately looked toward Tatum to help fill the void.

The 19-year-old stepped in, unfazed by the task at hand, and delivered one of the most well-rounded, season-long efforts on the team.

Tatum would wind up starting a team-high 80 games, leading the C's in minutes (2,438), 3-point percentage (43.4 percent) and steals (83).

He produced averages of 13.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 steals per game, while helping to lead the team to 55 regular-season wins and the second seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

It turned out to be far more of a role than the Celtics initially expected out of Tatum, but his stepping up was monumental to their success.

“We probably anticipated coming into the year, a guy that comes off the bench, plays 20-25 minutes a game, grows at a rate that everyone feels comfortable with. And then we just threw him to the wolves instead,” coach Brad Stevens said ahead of Game 81 of the season back on April 10. “He’s been able to handle it, and he’s been great.”

In comparison to previous Celtics rookies, Tatum’s greatness was surpassed by very few.

The St. Louis native set franchise marks with 105 3-point makes and a 43.4 percent clip from 3-point range (fifth highest among rookies in NBA history). He became the fifth rookie in NBA history, and the first since Stephen Curry in 2009-10, to record 1,000-plus points and shoot at least 40.0% from beyond the arc.

He also placed himself sixth on Boston’s all-time rookie blocks list (83) and eighth on its rookie scoring list (1,112) points.

Tatum is the 10th Celtic to ever be named to the All-Rookie First Team, and the first since Paul Pierce's selection following the 1998-99 season.

Though Pierce admitted earlier in May that Tatum “is a way better player than I was as a rookie.”

Tatum cracked the top five in just a few statistical categories among this season’s rookie class, but what placed him apart from others was his ability to win. His 55 wins were the top mark among all rookie starters, and he is also the only first-year starter left standing in the Playoffs, where he is averaging a team-high 18.0 PPG.

Tatum is hoping that his selection to the All-Rookie team is only the beginning of his hardware collection. He’s also a finalist for Rookie of the Year, along with Mitchell and Simmons.

“Talent level, I feel like if I’m not the best, I’m one or two,” Tatum recently told the Boston Globe when asked to compare himself to other rookies. “I think it’s just opportunity, the situation that you’re in, and who’s on your team. I think I’ve done all right.”

Whether or not he brings home that award as well, Tatum’s rookie season will still go down as one of the most remarkable inaugural campaigns in Celtics history. And it’s only the beginning of what should be a legendary career.

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Jayson Tatum Named to All-Rookie First Team

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NEW YORK – The Boston Celtics’ Brad Stevens and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in April.

Stevens led the Celtics to the East’s best record in April at 7-1.  Boston recorded a 4-0 mark on the road, and closed the month with six consecutive victories -- five of them against playoff teams.  The Celtics enjoyed a +8.8 ppg differential, the fourth-highest in the NBA during April.  Stevens’ Celtics will be the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and open against the second-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, with Game 1 set for Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.

Rivers guided the Clippers to the league’s only undefeated record in April at 7-0.  The Clippers recorded wins over two playoff teams – the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies.  They scored 108.6 ppg and surrendered 97.4 ppg, accounting for the second-highest differential in the league during April at +11.2 ppg.  Rivers’ Clippers open postseason play as the third seed in the Western Conference, and will host the sixth-seeded San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 on Sunday, April 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

Other nominees for Coach of the Month were Brooklyn’s Lionel Hollins, Cleveland’s David Blatt, Golden State’s Steve Kerr, Indiana’s Frank Vogel, New Orleans’ Monty Williams and San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.

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Brad Stevens Named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month

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BOSTON – Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics are opening eyes around the NBA.

Look it up: the Celtics have been one of the best teams in the NBA since February (24-12 since Feb. 2), and in the month of April, they’ve been even better, going 7-1.  Their surprising rise from a lottery lock to a playoff contender made noise around the league in recent weeks.

Today, Brad Stevens was recognized for the team’s late-season surge, as the NBA named Stevens the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month.

“I think Brad has done a great job all year, not just in this playoff run in April,” President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said. “He’s a terrific coach and I’m glad he’s on my side.”

Despite constant roster turnover this season with multiple transactions, Stevens has kept his team focused, with one goal in mind: Playoffs or bust.

“We have a lot of players who are hungry and have something to prove.  It seems like each of our players are playing as good of basketball as they have in their career,” Ainge said. “I think Brad and our coaching staff has done a terrific job of getting the most out of our players.”

The players also seem to take cues from Stevens emotionally as well. Stevens’ calm demeanor keeps the team grounded when they win, and confident even if they lose. When it comes to the clipboard, his recent X's and O's work can’t go overlooked either. Stevens has come up with some nifty plays in the clutch when the Celtics needed hoops to steal or preserve a win.

Perhaps most impressive was the play Stevens drew up in Toronto on April 4 to beat the Raptors with just 2.6 seconds remaining. Thomas set up in the backcourt, confusing Toronto’s defense, and took the inbounds pass on the move, giving him a full head of steam and a clear path to the basket. When Thomas was finally met by a defender in the paint, Marcus Smart was there to finish the play with a layup at the horn.

“Brad’s been doing that in his whole coaching career. That play at the end of the game in Toronto, he pulled me aside in training camp and showed me that,” Ainge said. “He’s always thinking, he’s got a lot of stuff in his brain and his back pocket.  He’s prepared for any situation or circumstance.”

Stevens is currently preparing for the team’s first round matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which means coming up with a game plan to contain arguably the greatest player in the world in LeBron James. That’s a tall order for any coach, regardless of experience. But the team’s front office knows they’ve got the right man on the job for the long term.

“In his first two seasons Brad has established himself as a consummate motivator, team builder and tactician,” said Wyc Grousbeck, Celtics Managing Partner, Governor &amp; Chief Executive Officer. “We are so grateful that he and his family chose to become Celtics.”

When Stevens was hired two summers ago, the task ahead of him to rebuild the franchise to glory appeared daunting. As he nears the close of his second year on the job, Stevens already has the team back in the playoffs, and some would say, ahead of schedule.

Either way, the Celtics are definitely exceeding expectations. Stevens’ leadership, both on and off the floor, has been the catalyst.