Boston Celtics guard Derrick White revealed on his White Noise podcast that he spent an entire halftime of the 2024 NBA Finals in a dentist’s chair after breaking a tooth.

White said the incident happened late in the first half, forcing him to seek immediate dental attention before returning to the court.

“So I’m in I’m literally in the dentist chair the entire halftime,” White said, via HoopsHype. “So there’s like one and a half minutes left and I get up and I’m like all right whatever forget it like let’s go.”

According to White, he left the chair with just enough time to rejoin his team as the second half was about to start. On his way back to the court, he spoke briefly with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“So I’m walking out and I walk out with Joe. I’m like what’ you talk about in the locker room? He’s like just win the game,” White recalled.

Despite the dental mishap, White returned to play without letting the injury affect his performance. The Celtics went on to secure the win, continuing their push toward the franchise’s record-setting 18th championship.

White admitted he didn’t dwell on the tooth during the game, only noticing it when others brought it up afterward. “I didn’t really think about it too much except when like people would ask like let me see your tooth,” he said.

The 2024 Finals marked a milestone for the Celtics, who defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games to clinch their first title since 2008. White played a significant role throughout the series, delivering key defensive stops and timely scoring.