Is Derrick White Playing vs Nuggets? Final Celtics Injury Report Revealed

The All-Defensive Team guard was previously listed as questionable Tuesday.

Jan 19, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) reacts after forward Jayson Tatum (0) makes the basket against the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Will two-time All-Defensive Team Boston Celtics guard Derrick White play for his 26-10 club against another recent NBA champion, the 20-14 Denver Nuggets?

According to an earlier injury report, White had been merely questionable to suit up while dealing with a non-COVID-19 illness. (Recent health history). The 6-foot-4 Colorado product, 30, has looked excellent thus far this year on both ends of the hardwood, so an absence could prove tough for the Celtics to handle. White is averaging 17.1 points on .452/.392/.822 shooting splits, 4.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 blocks and 0.9 steals a night in his 35 healthy games in 2024-25. Boston is so versatile that head coach Joe Mazzulla could insert sixth man guard Payton Pritchard, reserve small forward Sam Hauser, or even backup big man Al Horford into his starting lineup to spell White.

Among non-rookies on the club's 15-man standard roster, bench guard Jordan Walsh is also dealing with a non-COVID-19 illness.

Per Noa Dalzell of SB Nation, White and Walsh have now officially been ruled out for the bout. White is the only consistent rotation player who'll miss Tuesday's action.

Boston will also be without two-way players JD Davison, Drew Peterson, and Anton Watson, plus rookie swingman Baylor Scheierman, all of whom are with the Maine Celtics, Boston's NBAGL affiliate.

Denver, meanwhile, will be missing starting power forward Aaron Gordon yet again, as he continues to recuperate from a right calf strain. Although Gordon is the most important absence, the Nuggets will also be missing guard Vlatko Cancar as he recovers from a left knee surgery, big man DaRon Holmes II while he rehabs a right Achilles tendon repair, small forward Spencer Jones as he grapples with a right adductor strain and two-way player PJ Hall. Hall is putting in reps with the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver's G League affiliate.

Read More: Nuggets Will Be Without Key Players in Match Against Boston

Boston has looked practically mortal recently, having gone 5-5 across its last 10 contests. Denver will certainly be no pushover, as three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic is in fine form, and will be even a tough cover for Celtics starting center Kristaps Porzingis, a great rim protector when healthy — although Porzingis has missed most of the year with various injury issues, as has been the norm for the 29-year-old big man throughout his career.

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