Prior to Thursday’s Game 6 against the 76ers, Derrick White had been a regular in the Celtics’ starting lineup.
The Celtics guard started all but 12 of the 93 games he played in over the regular season and postseason. But with the season on the line, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla decided to roll with the starting lineup that helped Boston reach the NBA Finals last season.
Mazzulla’s switch worked. Robert Williams, who replaced White, helped set the tone defensively in the game’s opening minutes before scoring 10 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and posting a game-high plus/minus of +18 in 28 minutes to help the Celtics win, 95-86.