Derrick White did not hide his frustration after Boston’s season-ending 109-100 loss to Philadelphia, summing up the moment with blunt clarity.
“I mean, it sucks,” White said. “You always think you’re going to play for a long time and it kind of ends so quickly.”
The Celtics, who won 56 games in the regular season, were eliminated after losing three straight to drop a 3-1 series lead.
“Obviously super proud of the guys for an amazing year and I’m thankful and blessed to be a part of this team,” he said. “And it just sucks.”
White led Boston’s perimeter scoring in Game 7 with 26 points, including five made 3-pointers, but the team shot just 13-of-49 from deep.
“Shooting is obviously a big part of the game but it’s not the only part of the game,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of different ways to impact winning and help us win games even if you aren’t making shots.”
Boston’s offensive process generated clean looks, but execution dropped late in the series as Philadelphia controlled momentum.
“I think we got a lot of good looks,” White said. “We just didn’t knock them down, especially down the stretch there.”
The absence of Jayson Tatum, ruled out before tipoff with knee stiffness, forced Boston into lineup adjustments that tested its depth.
“We found out earlier today that Jayson wasn’t going to play,” White said. “That was the strength of this team all year, having different lineups and being able to play different ways.”
Despite the changes, the Celtics fell behind early and spent most of the game chasing, a pattern that repeated across the final three losses.
White said his focus was on competing regardless of circumstances rather than altering his approach.
“Just wanted to go out there and compete,” he said. “Obviously without Jayson, things are a little bit different there, but just wanted to go out there and compete, try to help us win.”
The guard pointed inward when evaluating his own performance across the series.
“I think I mostly frustrated myself in some of the games and just kind of disappointed how I went about it,” he said.
Boston’s identity as a three-point shooting team remained central, but the margin for error tightened in a playoff setting where defenses are locked in.
“You just got to go to the gym this summer and come back better,” White said.
Inside the locker room, head coach Joe Mazzulla’s message focused on appreciation rather than immediate analysis.
“He’s just thankful for us,” White said. “Thanked us for the season, said he loved us.”
White acknowledged both the progress and the disappointment, emphasizing that postseason results ultimately define outcomes.
“Obviously there’s a lot to be proud of,” he said. “But you also remember the bad times in this moment right here.”
For Boston, the early exit marks its first playoff elimination this early since 2021, while Philadelphia advances behind Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey’s combined 64 points.
White’s final takeaway reflected a mix of accountability and long-term focus.
“It’s going to be a long summer and I got to get better,” he said.
