The Boston Celtics will have some interesting decisions to make this summer, staring down a possible $238 million in additional fees because they are nearly $40 million over the tax line. Their predicament just got even more convoluted near the end of Monday’s Game 4 against the New York Knicks, when star forward Jayson Tatum tore his right Achilles tendon, ending his season and most, if not all, of 2025-26, and they trail 3-1 in the series.
Expect Boston to make some major moves this summer, with Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday all possibly on the trading block. In addition to Tatum, though, one other player should be safe — Derrick White. White is averaging 19.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.6 combined steals/blocks so far this series.
Even without Tatum, the Celtics are 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set for 207.5. Below, I’ve detailed my favorite prop bets centered around White.
Best Derrick White Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Derrick White 20+ Points (+105)
White has reached the 20-point threshold twice so far this series, hitting the mark in Games 2 and 4 and falling narrowly shy in games 1 and 3. Given the health questions for Porzingis — who hasn’t yet played more than 24 minutes or scored more than seven points while recovering from a bout with an illness — White has taken on a bigger role so far this series, ranking third among the starters in usage rate and second in overall touches. In Tatum’s absence, Brown will pick up the majority of the slack, but I expect White to step up too. His scoring average jumped to 20.8 in the eight games he played without Tatum, although that figure was buoyed by a 41-point masterpiece against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 5 in the absence of Tatum, Holiday, and Porzingis.
I’m high on his ceiling this game, though, because the Knicks have largely ignored him so far this series. 62.5% of his field goal attempts have been open or wide-open three-pointers, and he was 239-of-627 (38.1%) on such shots during the regular season. Plus, while New York has put a solid defender on him in Mikal Bridges for most of the series, Bridges is not as good on that side of the ball as either of his teammates, OG Anunoby or Josh Hart. It’s likely that New York’s strategy will change somewhat without Tatum; Anunoby, who clamped up Tatum for most of the series, will likely slide over to Brown and Hart will guard White. The difference between Bridges and Hart as a defender is smaller than the difference between Hart and Anunoby, who has stymied Brown all series and will again tonight.
Derrick White Most Three-Pointers Made (+160)
Given his green light to shoot open three-pointers — he was fourth in the league in made threes this season and fifth in attempts, including 11 attempts per game in the eight games Tatum missed — he should be the clear favorite for this, and he is (Payton Pritchard, at +330, has the next-best odds). It’s not going to be Brown, who’s primarily a slasher and has taken just 31.0% of his shots so far these playoffs from beyond the arc, and it’s unlikely to be a Knick, given that they’ve made only 10.9 three-pointers per game these playoffs, the fewest of any remaining team. In a must-win game, Joe Mazzulla is going to rely on his most-trusted players, which will mean more minutes for White — who he needs to play elite defense on Jalen Brunson — and possibly fewer for Pritchard. He might not be very efficient — Hart has allowed the fourth-lowest percentage among 15 players who have guarded 50 or more threes these playoffs — but volume will carry the day.
