Jrue Holiday praises Celtics teammate Derrick White: ‘He's an All-Star'

Jrue Holiday praises Celtics teammate Derrick White: ‘He's an All-Star' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Derrick White is having a tremendous impact on the Boston Celtics owning the NBA's best record at 31-9, but whether that success translates into an All-Star selection for the veteran guard remains to be seen.

The latest example of White's positive contributions to the C's came Monday night against the Toronto Raptors. He tied a team-high with 22 points, including a 5-of-11 mark from 3-point range. His final 3-pointer was the most important. It gave the Celtics a 103-96 lead with 1:17 remaining in the fourth quarter and effectively sealed what became a 105-96 win.

Celtics point guard Jrue Holiday, who also scored 22 points against the Raptors, had plenty of praise for his backcourt teammate after the game.

"He's an All-Star," Holiday told NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin when asked about White. "I think the things that he does, a lot of times go unnoticed. But the way that he plays, the way that he carries his team, especially with (Jaylen Brown) out and hitting a big shot in the corner, that's what D-White does."

White is averaging career highs with 15.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, while also shooting a career-best 41 percent from beyond the arc. His defensive impact has been immense, too. He ranks 10th in the league in defensive rating among players who average 25-plus minutes per game. His 42 blocks are the second-most among all guards.

It might be tough for White to get into the All-Star Game even though he has a good case. Fan vote makes up a significant part of the starting lineup selections, so that part is largely a popularity contest. The best path for White is likely as a reserve. According to the NBA, the 30 head coaches "select the 14 reserves, voting for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players at any position in their respective conferences."

Either way, there's no denying that White has been one of the most valuable Celtics players this season.