BOSTON — Whether NBA fans like it or not, load management is a significant part of the regular season. An 82-game campaign is a long journey, and the pace of play in the modern Association is conducive to a lot of wear and tear on the body. With this in mind, teams have to view their schedules with some forethought, picking and choosing when their star players should rest in order to avoid overexertion prior to the playoffs. Even the Boston Celtics, who haven't been the biggest proponents of injury management in comparison to other franchises across the league, are looking for occasional opportunities to sit their top guys.
The Celtics must've viewed Wednesday night's showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks as a promising rest window, as they opted
to sideline star forward Jayson Tatum due to rest. The opponent that evening wasn't a coincidence — the Bucks are near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and aren't viewed as a playoff team. Boston probably figured that if there was a time to rest Tatum, especially ahead of a brutal stretch that features three back-to-back sets of games before December, it was now.
Of course, there is risk involved with such a decision. Tatum is Boston's leading scorer (by far) and has already willed the Green Team to multiple wins this season through sheer star power. Losing him for a matchup means gambling with an increased likelihood of defeat. The Celtics elected to roll the dice, though, and their faith in the rest of the roster paid off during a 109-102 victory at TD Garden.
"Get a win," Celtics guard Derrick White replied when asked how the Celtics planned on approaching a game without Tatum. "Obviously, it changes a little bit because (Tatum) does a lot for us, but at the end of the day, we believe in our depth."
All 10 Celtics who stepped on the parquet floor on Wednesday scored at least once, but few were as impactful as White. The 2024 NBA champion recorded 24 points in 35 minutes and made winning plays when his attempts from deep weren't falling. He assisted 5 different Celtics on 7 assists and didn't let a mediocre shooting performance break his focus.
"We believe in every person in the locker room, and we just got to go out there and get a win," White emphasized.
Derrick White on how the Celtics approached playing without Jayson Tatum:
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) November 5, 2026
“Get a win…We play how we play…Obviously, it changes a little bit because JT does a lot for us, but at the end of the day, we believe in our depth.” pic.twitter.com/t3ki3Ukgmh
But, just because White shared the wealth doesn't mean he was incapable of taking charge.
With a little more than 2 minutes remaining in regulation and the shot clock winding down, the Colorado native salvaged a seemingly doomed Celtics' possession by cutting towards the rim for a pivotal floater. He was also fouled in the process and sank the subsequent free throw, gifting the C's a 102-97 advantage in a game they once led by as many as 22 points.
"We did a great job of just scrapping, coming together," Celtics wing Paul George said of Boston's close to the game. "We got some stops, we got some extra possessions down the stretch, and I thought we did a good job of getting downhill."
If White had a partner in crime against the Bucks, it was George. The latter Celtic notched a team-high 25 points, including a step-back triple that gave the Green Team an 8-point lead with 1:23 to go in the fourth quarter. White and George combined for 49 points in the narrow victory and, most notably, were responsible for 20 of the Celtics' 22 points in the final frame.
"Just try to be a little more aggressive, without trying to do too much or taking myself out of the offense," George responded in the locker room when asked how he wanted to play with Tatum out. "Try to let the game still come to me, but still be a little more aggressive."
Paul George on his approach to playing without Jayson Tatum active:
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) November 5, 2026
“I thought (to) try to let the game still come to me, but still be a little more aggressive.” pic.twitter.com/9BU3YtUtc3
Since point guard Payton Pritchard headed to the locker room in the third quarter with a right eye abrasion and never returned, the Celtics were down two of their their top three scorers versus Milwaukee. The pressure created by these absences were exacerbated by the fact that Boston was on the brink of blowing a double-digit lead in the second half.
However, instead of folding under duress, White, George, and the rest of the C's worked as a unit to hold off the surging Bucks.
"We play how we play, and just got to go out there and get a win," White said of the Celtics' mentality.
While the now 1-7 Bucks are hardly the team to beat in the East, scoring a win in a "rest game" is huge for the Celtics. Their upcoming schedule features back-to-backs aplenty and multiple dates with contending teams, so the 6-2 Celtics need all the wins they can muster right now.
Up next, they face the 3-6 Charlotte Hornets on Friday night at the Spectrum Center as part of NBA Cup group play.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: How Derrick White, Paul George took on Bucks without Celtics star Jayson Tatum
