After the Boston Celtics dominated the Miami Heat at the Kaseya Center on Wednesday, Jaylen Brown made a compelling case for Derrick White‘s All-Defensive Team selection.
White has made the All-Defensive Second Team twice in back-to-back years in 2023 and 2024. He’s close to becoming just the sixth guard in NBA history to have at least 100 blocks in a season. He already has 98, with six games left in the campaign.
Toward the end of the first half of Boston’s 147-129 win over the Heat, White made his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He threw a fastbreak alley-oop to Brown and had a chase down block on Pelle Larsson at the buzzer.
White finished the game with just six points, five rebounds and four assists, while Brown exploded for 43 points to continue his impressive MVP-like season.
Browns Makes Case for White’s All-Defense Honor
GettyBOSTON, MA – MARCH 18: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after a three point basket against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at TD Garden on March 18, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Celtics beat reporter Noa Dalzell asked Brown about his thoughts on White’s impressive block at the end of the second quarter. The one-time NBA Finals MVP argued that those types of plays make his teammate a potential All-Defensive First Team candidate.
“I look up, and I’m thinking that Larsson has a wide-open layup, and then D-White comes flying out of nowhere,” Brown said. “That’s impressive. That’s like First Team All-Defense type stuff. Those are Defensive Player of the Year-type plays.”
It would be hard for White to win the DPOY since Victor Wembanyama is likely taking it home for the first time in his career. It’s also possible that the San Antonio Spurs superstar will become the first unanimous DPOY winner.
White’s Chances of Being Named to All-Defensive First Team
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 06: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the fourth quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on March 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Mavericks 120-100.
Mike Shearer of Basketball Poetry recently released his picks for the All-Defensive Teams. He based the selection on available defensive metrics, so his choices are all about the numbers.
Joining Wembanyama on the first team are Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert and White. The Celtics guard makes it over the likes of Bam Adebayo, Cason Wallace and Scottie Barnes.
“He’s not perfectly airtight in one-on-one defense, but there isn’t a better help defender in the league,” Shearer wrote. “He’s a tremendous communicator, pointing and directing and yelling at teammates. Boston’s defensive IQ collectively rises a few points whenever he’s on the floor.”
GettyMIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 23: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the second quarter of the game against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 23, 2026 in Miami, Florida.
Other players to make the second team are OG Anunoby and Kris Dunn. While there is no All-Defensive Third Team, Shearer still made his own, composed of Evan Mobley, Dyson Daniels, Amen Thompson, Kawhi Leonard and Toumani Camara.
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