Karalis: A closer look at Derrick White's seven blocked shots in Utah

Blocking shots is hard, no matter how easy Derrick White makes it look. It’s tough for tall people who block shots for a living, never mind a guard of slight build. The recognition, the understanding of tendencies, and the timing necessary to block a shot aren’t always easy to nail down, so there are often fouls committed in the process of trying … or worse. 

Such is the price one pays to be a shot blocker.

But it’s worth the risk, because if a player can get the timing down, anticipate the play, and stay in control, there's a very good chance he’ll make plenty of highlight defensive plays. 

And no one has put all those tools together quite like White. 

“I think a couple of them came on-ball, couple of them came off-ball,” Joe Mazzulla told reporters after White blocked seven shots against the Jazz. “(In some lineups) he has to guard the other team's best player. So he got a couple on pick-and-rolls, on pull up threes, at the beginning of the game, when he's kind of roaming on guys that we could shift off of. He does a good job of coming in and knowing when to help and not.”

White got his first (of many) on Lauri Markkanen on an out-of-bounds play. Neemias Queta’s help was a big part of allowing White to get this block, because it stopped Markkanen cold in his tracks and let White anticipate the shot attempt. 

Markkanen tried his luck again, this time straight-up on White in transition. But White has an uncanny ability to jump and contest when he’s moving backwards. 

White's ability to jump while moving backwards is kind of fun. A lot of guys are kind of stuck in reverse in those plays. He did it again against Brice Sensabaugh

It's so easy to think "I've got this" in that situation, when in actually you don't, in fact, got this. White has a quick jump and quicker hands so he doesn't always meet these shots at the apex like a traditional shot blocker. These blocks from came much lower, often when the ball is still in the shooter's hands. 

In fact, he often blocks shots as a player is gathering. They look more like steals but because it's after the gather and on an upward motion, it counts as a blocked shot. 

Just because White doesn't often blocked shots at the apex, it doesn't mean he can't.

White's timing and instincts are too good to tee one up for him like that. It's the end of the clock without many options. White is timing this thing like a tipped pitch coming out of a pitcher's hand. But even when his timing is off for whatever reason, like on his seventh block of the game, he still has the hang time, body control, and focus to still make a play on the ball. 

White's size can actually be an asset for him because no one thinks he's going to get to certain shots, and then he does. Markkanen is back in the spotlight as White's victim (he blocked Markkanen four times in this game), this time as he thinks White will back off the play. Instead, White get a block from the side, which you don't see very often. 

... Well, don't see very often except when it comes to White, who got this exact same kind of block a couple of minutes later. 

On a personal level, I enjoy the big, arm out, wind up swats like that last one. They are visually pleasing, and almost a smack in the face instead of the ball. I can almost hear him in his head saying "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, GOTCHA" as he floats in the air. 

White does float a bit on some of these blocks. I think most guards who block shots tend to have that characteristic. Maybe not Dennis Johnson, though, who happened hold the record for blocked shots by a guard that White tied in this game. DJ was the best at anticipating the play, reading an offensive player, and just getting to the spot. 

Now White is there alongside him, which is fitting the night after Jaylen Brown tied Larry Bird's record for most consecutive 30-plus scoring nights. It's a nice reminder of how good some of these guys are. 

White is an elite defender who uses his brain and athleticism to get to shots and protect the rim. Most shots get blocked around the paint, and few of them White got were also in that area, but the rise in jumpers means there are more blocks to be had outside the paint.

But as White continues to get to those, there has to be reaction to White being in the vicinity of shots. His presence is enough to make people think twice, or maybe just drive it and take their chances with Neemias Queta at the rim. 

It's kind of like running from the leopard into the arms of a lion, so that's probably not the best idea either. But with White on the floor, lurking to block another shot, bad options are better options than testing him.