Derrick White played the game of his life on Thursday night.
The San Antonio Spurs guard led his team to a crucial 118-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 of the teams' first-round series, scoring a career-high 36 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing five assists, and swiping three steals on scorching 15-of-21 shooting. He also helped hold Nuggets counterpart Jamal Murray, who exploded in the fourth quarter of Game 2 to lead his team to a comeback win, to just six points on 2-of-6 shooting.
Making White's career night even more impressive? His 36 points were the most a Spurs guard has scored since Tony Parker dropped 37 points on the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of the 2013 Western Conference Finals.
Derrick White WENT OFF for 36 points, 10 more than his previous career-high (regular season or playoffs) and the most by a Spurs guard in an #NBAPlayoffs game since Tony Parker in 2013. #GoSpursGo
📊 https://t.co/X329IvKiGf pic.twitter.com/c9OjvUBUBP
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 19, 2019
Derrick White averaged 9.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steals in just 25.8 minutes per game this season. Projected as a backup combo guard coming into 2018-19, he was instead pressed into action as the Spurs’ starting point guard due to the season-long absence of DeJounte Murray, who suffered a torn ACL in training camp.
Those counting numbers, while solid, hardly convey the impact White makes for San Antonio on both sides of the ball. He shot a stellar 52.9 percent on twos during the regular season, buoyed by elite accuracy from mid-range. His biggest influence comes on defense, though, where White routinely checks the opposition’s top ball handler and finished second to Chris Paul among point guards in defensive real plus-minus. If the 24-year-old doesn’t make All-Defense this season, he’ll certainly be among those receiving votes.
And on Thursday, White etched his name in the Spurs' history books – and more importantly, put his underdog team up 2-1 on Denver in the process.
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