Derrick White helps Celtics win NBA Finals after chipping teeth: 'I'd lose all my teeth for a championship'

White injured himself during the Game 5 clincher

By Isabel Gonzalez

Jun 18, 2024 at 9:13 am ET • 1 min read

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Boston Celtics guard Derrick White chipped his front teeth during the Celtics' 106-88 Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night. That win gave the Celtics their 18th NBA championship, and, according to White, it was all worth it.

"I'd lose all my teeth for a championship," White said during the Larry O'Brien trophy presentation. "I'll get it fixed. I'm going to enjoy this one."

"I'd lose all my teeth for a championship."

Whatever it takes for Derrick White 🏆 pic.twitter.com/cbtdpRVOCM
— NBA (@NBA) June 18, 2024

The incident happened when he hit the floor face-first during a collision with Mavericks center Dereck Lively II in the second quarter. White was bleeding from his mouth but he decided to remain in the game. White said he had chipped a tooth in the past, so he knew what was happening right away. That fall also caused other teeth to feel loose.

"They were trying stuff in the locker room. I was like, 'I don't care. Just play,'" he recalled.

Here is a video of the painful incident:

Derrick White was bleeding after Dereck Lively fell on him on this play. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/ilOpVEbKdA
— ESPN (@espn) June 18, 2024

The fall did not look good, but nothing was keeping him away from the court. He managed to stay locked in and hit a 3-pointer soon after. He then used that opportunity to deliver a message to the bench.

"I said, 'eff that tooth,'" White said in a postgame interview.

White eventually finished the night with 14 points, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block. His teammates certainly appreciated White's efforts and sacrifice, but this did not stop Jaylen Brown from teasing him.

"You sure is ugly," Brown said during the third quarter, which resulted in a laugh from White.