Derrick White Keeps Boston's Season Alive With 34pt Performance | HOOPS Daily, 5/15/2025
Boston forces a Game 6, Minnesota bounces Golden State to return to the Western Conference Finals, and more.
The Tip-Off: Something or Nothing?
Donovan Mitchell met with the media today for his end of season availability following the Cavs’ stunning 4-1 loss in round two vs. the Indiana Pacers. He was extremely honest and blunt in his 25 minutes, revealing multiple insights including that he hadn’t slept since the Game 5 loss and he’d already watched the elimination game twice before meeting with the media.
This on top of coming back out to sit courtside after the arena had emptied, and it’s clear he’s taking this loss extremely hard following the team’s 64-win regular season where they looked like a buzzsaw and one of the best teams in basketball.
In his post-game interview, Mitchell gave a few strong quotes in support of his teammates and the franchise but fans on Wednesday were in full conspiracy theory mode when it came to Mitchell’s choice of wardrobe.
It’s hard to see in a picture but if you watch any of the media session, you’ll notice his hoodie has the definition of Point Guard on it. His point guard, Darius Garland, has struggled mightily in recent elimination games and many were quick to point out that the hoodie could be an indication that he feels disappointed in Garland for not delivering like the team needed.
Others argued that they two have grown extremely close during Mitchell’s time there and the hoodie was a vote of confidence in his All-Star level teammate.
Now, Mitchell has done definition hoodies before with his infamous “Rookie” hoodie he wore during his Rookie of the Year campaign battle against then-76er Ben Simmons.1
So keep all of this in mind and let me know what you think about it.
Wolves Return to WCF, Celtics Stay Alive
Wolves Finish Off Warriors With Strong Two-Way Performance
The last game can often be the hardest for a team to win as team’s will have their most desperate performances to fight to stay alive.2 That was not the case for the Timberwolves though as they put on another dominant performance, holding the Warriors to just 43% from the field, 28% from three. This one was out of reach by halftime as Minnesota built a 65-47 lead and Golden State just could’t get their offense going without Steph Curry, who missed a fourth-straight game with a strained hamstring. Brandin Podziemski scored a playoff career-high 28pts and Jonathan Kuminga had another strong performance off the bench with 26pts in 32 minutes but it was too little too late. Buddy Hield and Jimmy Butler both struggled once again, Butler taking just 11 shots from the game and not looking quite like Playoff Jimmy from years’ past. Hield went 0-4 from three and finished with just eight points as the Warriors offense just couldn’t do much without their nucleus Curry to operate around.
As he has been all series, Julius Randle was fantastic once again. He led the Wolves with 29pts to go along with 8r and 5a, picking his spots smartly and shooting 13-18 from the field to continue his run of incredible synergy with Anthony Edwards.
“I just try to do my best to read the game in the best way I can,” Randle said. “They threw different coverages at us all series long.”
Minnesota now heads back to the Western Conference Finals for the second-straight year despite trading franchise cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns last summer. They’ll play the winner of Denver/OKC and you have to imagine they’re hoping that goes to a Game 7 so they can enjoy as many as five days of rest.
Derrick White, Boston’s D Keep Celtics Alive vs. Knicks to Force Game 6
Even after losing superstar Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles’ in Game 4, Boston wasn’t quite ready to end their season at home in front of their fans in Game 5.
“We did what was necessary to do what we needed to do to get it back to New York,” Celtics’ coach Joe Mazzulla said. “You don’t get to pick the test that you have, you pick how you respond to them.”
They responded with an incredible all-around performance as six players scored in double-figures including 34pts from White to lead the team. Jaylen Brown chipped in 26pts but it was his 12a that kept Boston’s offense flowing and generated good look after good look all night.
New York struggled to match Boston’s intensity all night and the game was often extremely physical as Josh Hart was busted open with an instantly bloody cut above his eye that stopped play for several minutes while Mitchell Robinson also caused a stoppage due to some blood.
“We’ve got to play desperate. I don’t think we did that,” Mikal Bridges said.
Boston is looking to be the 14th team to ever come back from a 3-1 playoff deficit in 294 attempts, and they’re going to need continued efforts like this if they hope to have a chance.
One player to keep an eye on is Kristaps Porzingis who once again struggled, playing just 12 minutes and finishing with one point while he still deals with effects from a non-disclosed viral illness that has impacted him since March. Coach Mazzulla even went so far to reveal that Porzingis was having trouble breathing at times.
What Next for the Warriors?
"I don't even have to think what [if], I know we had a shot [to win a title]. I know we could have gone the distance.” - Warriors head coach Steve Kerr on Steph Curry’s injury impacting the team’s chances at winning a title
When Steph Curry went down with a hamstring injury in Game 1 vs. Minnesota, it sucked all of the oxygen out of the team, the franchise, and the fanbase. It was clear that whatever title hopes the team had would be on hold until Steph could return. That return never came and now, the Warriors will have to spend the summer thinking about what-ifs and almosts.
This is an aging team with a window that could slam shut at any point. Curry said as much himself a few weeks back before the playoffs started.
"How many more chances will we actually realistically have at chasing a championship?" Curry said in an interview with ESPN. "Not saying this is the last year, this run that we're going to have. Just focusing on what we can get out of it. Me and [Draymond] have been through every battle for the last 13 years. Obviously, we are trying to recreate that magic."
If the second half of this season is any indication, this Warriors’ team still has some magic to it but the margin of error is shrinking rapidly every day. Once Golden State added Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, the team exploded in offensive rating and Draymond Green began a second-half campaign to win DPOY3. In the playoffs though, the Warriors just couldn’t do it without Steph in the lineup. Butler routinely settled for bad shots and became passive altogether, scoring 31pts combined in Games 4 and 5 after leading the team with 33pts in Game 3.
Butler was reportedly battling illness and may have been feeling lingering effects from his tailbone injury in round one vs. Houston but that doesn’t explain the rest of the team’s struggles.
Honestly, the biggest question mark to me heading into the off-season for this team is Jonathan Kuminga. I can’t believe the report that came out Wednesday about Kuminga reportedly ignoring Steph Curry on-court during games and it’s clear his relationship with Steve Kerr has devolved in part because of that among other issues. I don’t think his value could really get much lower so what the Warriors would be able to sign and trade him for remains to be seen. But, as he enters unrestricted free agency, the Warriors risk losing a 22 year old who’s shown strong flashes for nothing in return which could be a disaster for the team. Size needs to be a priority for the Warriors as Rudy Gobert destroyed them inside in Game 5, putting up 17pts/8r with little interior resistance.
I’m almost inclined to mention Draymond Green and his potential future with the team but at this point he’s probably gonna be on the team until Steph Curry retires and then immediately transition to an assistant or head coaching role. I just can’t help but think he remains a lit fuse, a powderkeg that could easily derail everything should he irk Jimmy Butler or any other teammates or coaching staff with his on-court antics and outbursts. At this point though nothing will surprise me when it comes to Draymond.
Golden State’s season was a tale of two-halves but with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler all not getting any younger, the clock is ticking for them to get the most out of the next few seasons.
At the Buzzer
- Report: Giannis prefers to stay in the Eastern Conference, rumors say Nets and Raptors are two teams of interest should he request a trade
- Draymond Green fined $50,000 for questioning referee integrity
- Nike’s Phil Knight no longer interested in buying Portland Trail Blazers4
- Jayson Tatum posts message on IG, first comments since suffering Achilles’ tear
All Eyes on Denver
Thunder at Nuggets: Game 6 (OKC leads series 3-2)
Thank you guys for hanging out for another day, I hope everyone reading this is doing well and having a good week so far. Take care.
Isn’t it wild to think Ben Simmons was Rookie of the Year?
Case in point: Boston on Wednesday
Post trade, the Warriors went 23-8 with Butler and finished first in defensive efficiency, first in assists per game, and third in points per game allowed
He had previously expressed interest in 2020 but was turned down by Paul Allen