Why Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis Not Selected as All-Star Game Replacements

Adam Silver’s reasoning for not adding a third Celtic is surprising, sound, and reinforces the NBA should expand All-Star rosters.

The Boston Celtics already have two representatives in the NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Feb. 18. For the second consecutive year, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will participate in the league’s marquee exhibition contest.

Last season, the former, now a five-time selection, who will start in the All-Star Game for the fourth straight year, earned MVP honors, generating a record 55 points.

But while many anticipated the Celtics’ star tandem would have company the following day, neither Kristaps Porzingis nor Derrick White got selected as injury replacements for Joel Embiid and Julius Randle.

Instead, commissioner Adam Silver went with Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks and Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors.

Those are fine choices and allow more teams to have representation in this year’s All-Star Game, which is a wise move from business and marketing selections.

But White is consistently stuffing the stat sheet, averaging 15.7 points, 4.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game while drilling nearly 40 percent of his 6.7 three-point attempts. The former Colorado Buffalo ranks in the 95th percentile in estimated plus-minus, per dunksandthrees.com.

Porzingis is generating 19.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, two assists, and nearly two blocks per contest. His versatility at both ends of the floor, especially his ability to punish switches, makes this the most dynamic team Boston’s had in the Tatum and Brown era.

And with the Eastern Conference losing a player at the pivot in Embiid and a power forward in Randle from its All-Star roster, the seven-foot-three center from Latvia seemed a likely selection as a fill-in.