NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 15, 2022

Derrick White

Boston Celtics

Practice Day

Q. Is it kind of fitting the path to the championship that it's going to be a tough one?

DERRICK WHITE: Yeah. I said it last series that if it was easy, it wouldn't be us. Obviously, we put ourselves in a tough situation, but we've been battling back all postseason. We just have to start one game at a time and get this big one here in Game 6.

Q. Why do you think this group does so well in these situations, and why do you think you find yourselves in these situations?

DERRICK WHITE: I don't know. We have a lot of guys that just are built for tough times, have gone through things like that in the past, and just don't panic.

We just have a lot of guys that believe in each other, and obviously, you don't want to put yourself in these situations, but we're here, and we're looking forward to it.

Q. Throughout this journey, is there anything that you replay in your mind, whether it's breakfast, lying around?

DERRICK WHITE: Like during the Finals?

Q. Yeah.

DERRICK WHITE: I'm just trying to stay in the moment, enjoy it as much as I can. It's what you work for. It's a dream come true.

Probably after the series and later on in the summer I can really reflect on it, but right now I'm just focused on what we can do to win games.

Q. Does a player's mindset have to be different in elimination games than in other games? Do you find yourself changing anything from a mental standpoint?

DERRICK WHITE: It's win or go home. You have no option but to give it all. There's no tomorrow, so each game is of utmost importance. So just having that right mindset.

Q. Derrick, what did you see on film after you guys watched Game 5?

DERRICK WHITE: There's a lot of stuff that we've been talking about. Obviously, they're really good at what they do, and just trying to be in the right body position or take care of the ball. Just a bunch of little things that are costing us.

Q. Do you know by now at this point you've seen each other so many times that you go, okay, it's more mental and physically grinding through it?

DERRICK WHITE: Yeah. Especially when you get to Game 6, Game 7. It was the same in the last couple of series, they know what we like to do. We know what they like to do. It’s the team that executes to the best.

Q. How much has that helped you guys in these situations. The last three series have been a Game 6?

DERRICK WHITE: It's a different animal, but it's just having that confidence in each other. Remember that we've been in this situation before and we came out on top, so just having that confidence and belief that we've been here before, and we can do it again.

Q. Have the ongoing turnover problems been wearing on you mentally at all knowing you've been trying to solve it game after game but not necessarily cracked that solution yet?

DERRICK WHITE: I don't want to say wearing on us mentally. I mean, there's games where we are taking care of the ball, and there's games that we don't. Just having that right focus, the right mindset to just making the simple plays and solid plays, and each game is a little different from game to game.

Q. Has fatigue played a role at all in that, do you think? Given the two seven-game series, this one is very physical, and I think your turnover rate has increased kind of by a lot over the last two series versus the first couple of rounds.

DERRICK WHITE: I mean, it's Game 6 of the NBA Finals. We don't really have a choice to be tired. We can rest in the summer. We understand that a lot of people are just at home, and we don't have an option to be tired.

Q. Did you get much time to work with Steve Kerr a couple of years ago with the USA Team?

DERRICK WHITE: Yeah. Obviously, he was part of that staff, and he was always helpful. Any time I needed a question or anything during that whole USA experience, he was there for me. It was cool just to get to know him.