Derrick White is one of the biggest X-factors heading into Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Boston on Thursday night. 

The Celtics guard has emerged as the perfect complement in the backcourt to stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown since coming over from the Spurs at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline, and these playoffs have proven so. 

White is averaging 17.8 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting and 40.7 percent from 3-point land – all of which are a tick above his regular-season averages. 

After drawing smaller defenders like Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell in the Indiana series, White should once again take his licks against the weak spots in Dallas’ lineup. 

While the lengthy P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. handle Tatum and Brown, and the big-man combo of Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively match up with Kristaps Porzingis, White and Jrue Holiday will have their way with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in what will be two of the most important matchups. 

In the conference finals, the Mavericks got away with hiding Doncic and Irving on less dynamic offensive players like Jaden McDaniels, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, Kyle Anderson and Naz Reid. 

It won’t be as easy in the Finals. 

White is sure to draw at least one of the two for the bulk of his minutes, and his combination of off-the-dribble shot creation and 3-point shooting should prove to be a disaster for the weak spots of Dallas’ defensive rotation. 

Porzingis’ return is sure to take away a few opportunities, but oddsmakers are still selling White short with a 14.5-point total (+100, FanDuel Sportsbook) in Game 1 after averaging nearly 18 in these playoffs.

The play: Derrick White over 14.5 points (+100, FanDuel Sportsbook)