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[Saba Sports News] During the Boston Celtics’ 126-115 Christmas Day victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, Derrick White was visibly displeased after Jayson Tatum dodged a pass with the shot clock winding down. It seemed Tatum avoided the ball to prevent being charged with a turnover when the shot clock expired. However, many players don’t realize that shot clock violations are counted as team turnovers, not individual ones. Due to Tatum’s action, White ended up with the turnover instead.
This incident sparked reactions from NBA fans and became a notable discussion point after the game. Some fans criticized Tatum for apparently prioritizing his stats over the team, with one calling it a “clown move.” Despite this, Tatum and White seemed to resolve the issue and even laughed it off eventually.
In the game, Tatum scored 25 points but was less efficient with a 6-15 shooting record, while White contributed 18 points and 11 assists with better shooting efficiency. Tatum recently praised White’s performance on his Instagram, suggesting White deserved an All-Star nod. White has been instrumental to the Celtics’ success this season, excelling defensively and contributing significantly on offense.
Though White’s all-around performance is commendable, making the All-Star team might be challenging due to the plethora of high-profile guards in the Eastern Conference. However, his defensive prowess could earn him a spot on the All-Defensive Team and even place him in contention for Defensive Player of the Year.