Game 3 is set for Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET in Philadelphia, as the Celtics aim to regain momentum in the series.

Celtics’ tendency to win Game 1 big and then drop Game 2 has appeared 11 times in franchise history, more often in the Jayson Tatum–Jaylen Brown era.

Derrick White of the Boston Celtics captured the NBA Sportsmanship Award for the 2025-26 season, narrowly edging Indiana’s TJ McConnell in the final vote.

The piece concludes with contact information for Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe.

Historically, Celtics teams have rebounded from Game 2 losses to win subsequent games, a pattern suggesting the current series is still within reach.

Jaylen Brown stressed maintaining the right mindset after the Game 2 setback, noting that postseasons are unpredictable and intensity matters every game.

White has become a defensive anchor, described as a “defensive quarterback” since the Holiday trade, boosting the Celtics’ defensive identity.

White called for a strong Game 3 showing, focusing on floor spacing and taking open shots to complement elite defense.

The award, in existence since 1995-96, honors on-court sportsmanship with each team nominating a player, a panel selecting six finalists from the divisions, and current players voting to determine the winner.

This story is being updated.

Among the finalists were Harrison Barnes, Al Horford, Bam Adebayo, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, each earning noticeable shares of first-place votes.

In playoff context, Boston would travel to Philadelphia for Game 3, with pregame and game coverage details provided by local radio.