Jayson Tatum, Derrick White Amaze NBA Twitter as Celtics Beat LaMelo Ball, Hornets

The Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets 127-116 on Friday night at TD Garden despite missing Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford due to injuries.

Boston’s depth continues to be tested of late, and the team continues to come up big when it matters most.

Derrick White was Boston’s lightning in a bottle against Charlotte, finishing with 33 points, three rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and three blocks in 36 minutes. He made 12 of 19 shots from the floor and 8 of 14 shots from deep.

White’s 33 points are a career-high. He had never scored 30-plus points in a game before Friday’s contest, with his previous career-high being 29 points.

Following the win, White was praised for stepping up for the C’s alongside Jayson Tatum, who finished with 41 points in the win:

If the Celtics are going to continue to weather the injuries to Smart, Brown and Horford, they’re going to need White to continue competing like he did on Friday night.

The 28-year-old, who was acquired by Boston at last season’s trade deadline, has proved to be an invaluable addition for the Celtics. He entered Friday’s game averaging 10.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 55 games while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 38 percent from deep.

The C’s are now 40-16 on the season and will be back in action on Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies. Boston will be looking to maintain its hold atop the Eastern Conference with the Milwaukee Bucks right on its tail.