Derrick White didn’t have to wait for Christmas to replace his front tooth.
Celtics guard Derrick White chipped his tooth Tuesday night while diving for a loose ball during the second quarter of the team’s 106-88 victory over the Mavericks to cement the NBA championship.
With the Celtics hosting their championship parade in Boston on Friday, White told NBC Sports Boston the “temporary fix” at the dentist didn’t take as long as one might have thought.
“I spent like two hours, and then I had to go back for like an hour, and we’ve got a little temporary fix for tonight,” White said.
After Tuesday’s game, White was unfazed about chipping his tooth.
“I’d lose all my teeth for a championship,” White said as the Larry O’Brien trophy was presented, as covered by CBS Sports. “I’ll get it fixed. I’m going to enjoy this one.”
White revealed that he shrugged off the team’s medical staff in the locker room because he just wanted to return to the game.
“They were trying stuff in the locker room. I was like, ‘I don’t care. Just play,'” White said.
In an interview with NBC Sports Boston after the game, White was asked what he said to his teammates on the bench about the matter.
“I said eff that tooth!” White exclaimed.
White averaged 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in the Celtics’ 2024 postseason run.
Asked Friday if it’s sunk in yet that he’s an NBA champion, White answered: “It’s crazy. It’s just a dope feeling every day, wake up, chest a little higher. It’s a great feeling.”
