At TD Garden, the Boston Celtics had a chance to take full control of the series, but Game 5 slipped away in a 113-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
While Joel Embiid powered Philadelphia with 33 points, the spotlight in Boston shifted elsewhere, as Derrick White struggled again, and the NBA world did not hold back in its reaction to his ongoing playoff drop-off.
Why Derrick White’s Slump Took Center Stage in the Celtics’ Game 5 Loss to the 76ers
The Celtics’ Game 5 loss has shifted the pressure back onto Boston, with the series suddenly tightening, and right at the center of it is White.
The veteran guard struggled again, finishing with just 6 points on 2-of-8 shooting. He missed all four of his 3-point attempts and never really found a rhythm. At this point, it’s no longer a rough night but a pattern that’s been repeated in all five games so far.
Boston got decent outings from Jayson Tatum (24 points) and Jaylen Brown (22 points), but the lack of a reliable third scorer was glaring.
That’s where White is supposed to come in, and right now, he simply isn’t.
After averaging 16.5 points in the regular season, White’s production has cratered to just 8.2 points per game in the playoffs. The efficiency dip is even worse in the ongoing playoffs, with field-goal percentage under 30% and 3-point percentage barely above 21%.
Across five games, he’s scored just 41 total points. For a player once trusted in crunch time, that’s a steep fall, and the frustration was evident in the way the NBA community at large torched White with their sharp takes on X.
The Dunk Central posted his playoff numbers, putting the slump into clear view: “Derrick White in the 2026 playoffs: 8.2 PPG, 29.8% FG, 21.2% 3PT.”
Derrick White in the 2026 playoffs:
8.2 PPG
29.8% FG
21.2% 3PT pic.twitter.com/FbJJa3ZEFm— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 29, 2026
“Derrick White is now 7-for-33 in this series from 3-point range. This is going to be a significant story moving forward for Boston,” ESPN reporter Tim Bontemps added.
Derrick White is now 7-for-33 in this series from 3-point range.
This is going to be a significant story moving forward for Boston.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 29, 2026
“Oh Derrick White…where has your shot gone?,” Spotrac contributor Keith Smith quipped.
Oh Derrick White…where has your shot gone?
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 29, 2026
Barstool’s Dana Beers pointed to the timing of the dip, posting, “This whole Derrick White being bad since Tatum got back thing is quite concerning.”
This whole Derrick White being bad since Tatum got back thing is quite concerning
— Dana Beers (@danabeers) April 29, 2026
Tatum’s return was supposed to ease White’s burden, not erase his game. Instead, his scoring has completely fallen off a cliff, and the Celtics have felt it in moments where a third option was needed.
“This Derrick White offensive drop off is inexplicable,” @Three_cone X handle wondered.
There was also little patience from some corners. A post from @NewMediaSports_ read, “Derrick White has no impact on the game if he can’t make shots don’t care about that defense gimmick.”
Derrick White has no impact on the game if he can’t make shots dont care about that defense gimmick
— 💫 (@NewMediaSports_) April 29, 2026
Another X handle added, “Idk what’s happening to Derrick White, but if he was his normal self this series would’ve been over in 4.”
Even the memes followed, with BetMGM posting a clip highlighting his missed shots, captioned, “Derrick White ever since Tatum came back.”
Derrick White ever since Tatum came back pic.twitter.com/fqKfsQEDZO
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) April 29, 2026
The Cs don’t need White to be a star. But they do need him to be dependable, probably, knock down open looks, attack the gaps, and make the extra play. Right now, he’s doing none of that.
His defense is still solid, sure. But in a playoff series where every possession matters, offense like this turns a starter into a liability.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia continues to lean on Embiid, whose 33-point performance in Game 5 kept the series alive and showed how quickly things can shift when one side gets consistent production.
Boston still holds the edge, but the gap is no longer comfortable. Game 6 heads to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday. The Celtics’ path forward may depend on whether Derrick White can rediscover even a fraction of his regular-season form.
