For decades, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have been bitter rivals. However, this does not exclude them from learning from one another. Following a preseason game against the new-look Milwaukee Bucks, Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell told Spectrum SportsNet that he’s aiming to replicate Celtics guard Derrick White’s game.
“My inspiration has been Derrick White,” he said. “I want to be Derrick White [defense-wise]. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for what he does. Makes all the winning plays. That’s what I want to be.”
White is coming off a great season in Boston, as the 29-year-old had more blocks than any other guard in the league. For his defensive work, he was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team for the first time in his career. He also averaged 12.4 points per outing while never missing a game all season.
Russell, who was traded to the Lakers ahead of last year’s trade deadline, had a solid season as well. In his 17 regular season games with L.A., he posted 17.4 points per game while shooting an efficient 48.4%. When the postseason came around, his numbers dipped, as he averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 42.6% from the field.
If there’s any downside in Russell’s game, it’s probably his defense. However, he’s the exact same height (6-foot-4) as White, so he certainly has the size and potential to become an improved defender. He even notched a block in his recent preseason performance versus the Bucks.
While White and Russell find themselves on opposite sides of the country, their teams could have similar trajectories. The Lakers added some more depth this offseason and are coming off a run to the Western Conference Finals. The Celtics heavily retooled their roster this summer with new star power after falling in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Overall, these two opponents should be competitors, with White and Russell both capable of making significant contributions to their respective clubs.
