About a month ago, the San Antonio Spurs went on a brutal run of blowout games that included a 39-point pummeling at the hands of the Minneosta Timberwolves.
It was truly a vicious stretch for the team, but it turned out to be a good learning experience for Spurs sophomore guard Derrick White:
“I was telling (Aldridge), ‘Maybe it’s a good thing we kept getting blown out because I got chances to go out there and play and get my rhythm back,’” White told Jabari Young of The Athletic. “Every time I went out there, I just gained more and more confidence in knowing what my team needs me to do and what works for me out.”
On the season, White is averaging 7.2 points (on 45.3 percent shooting), 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.4 blocks, and 1.4 turnovers in 22.8 minutes of action.
However, he has been on a tear of late, putting up 14.0 points (on 61.9 percent from the field), 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 29.5 minutes over the last five games.
His defensive work has particularly been impressive, and he did a fine job against former Spurs teammate Kawhi Leonard on Thursday as the Spurs defeated the Toronto Raptors, 125-107.
Head coach Gregg Popovich is obviously liking what he's seeing from Derrick White, as the coach has decided to hand the starting job to the 24-year-old over the past month. White has stepped up to the challenge and is currently making a strong case for being the team's starting point guard the rest of the way.
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