Count Kristaps Porzingis among those who were shocked Derrick White didn’t make the cut for ESPN’s Top 100 rankings that were published before this season.

Porzingis, appearing on JJ Redick’s “Old Man & The Three” podcast this week, was asked by Redick if he knew how good White was before joining the Celtics this year.

“I did not,” Porzingis said.

White has only made his rankings snub look sillier to begin this season. The Celtics guard entered Friday’s game ranked third in the NBA in plus/minus at plus-163. His value is so clear it’s starting to become expected.

“We had a meeting the other day and Joe (Mazzulla), as always, he’s (doing) kind of like team development type things that we do and we had to say one thing you love about your teammate, one thing that drives you crazy and a couple other things,” Porzingis said on the podcast. “And I said to D-White, what I love about you is how you’re always making the right play for us. Because of that, I hold you, and I think all of us hold you to such a high standard, that it drives me crazy when you don’t. He’s so good, he’s always making the right play, making the right read, that I just always expect that from him.

“He’s very underrated. I heard there was a lot of talk about this Top 100. Like it’s insane that he’s not in the Top 100. It’s completely insane. But I think he’s always proving it and it’s only a matter of time.”

Friday already marked the third time this season that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau had to prepare for White. Safe to say the Celtics guard has earned his respect, too.

“One of the most underrated players in the league,” Thibodeau said. “His versatility, his size – he’s very, very unique.”

Resting up

While they would certainly rather be in Las Vegas still competing in the In-Season Tournament, the Celtics are enjoying the perks of some extra rest that came with losing Monday’s quarterfinal to the Pacers.

The Celtics had three days off before Friday’s game against the Knicks, and then will have another three days off before their next game on Tuesday against the Cavaliers. That kind of break is certainly rare amidst a grueling 82-game schedule.

“It’s been nice being home, being able to just have time to be here and kind of spend time in the gym and watch games from home,” Jrue Holiday said. “So it’s been good. …

“I’ve been able to have a mental break from basketball to refresh and get back out there and play.”

If the Celtics had won Monday against the Pacers, they would have played again in Thursday’s IST semifinals and then potentially the championship game on Saturday, which would have counted as an 83rd game on the schedule.

Instead, the schedule works out in that the Celtics will enjoy being in the comfort of their own home all but one night during their stretch from Nov. 26 to Dec. 17 before they head out on a West Coast trip later this month.

“Definitely looking at the schedule, I thought that we wouldn’t be home,” Holiday said. “I thought that it was a lot of travel, especially early. It was a lot of weird stuff going on. We were going — we left on Thanksgiving Day, we’d be gone for Christmas. So this is a good break.”

Tatum’s dreams

It’s taken time, but now in the seventh season of his career, Jayson Tatum feels embraced by Boston. Earlier this season, after he scored his 10,000th career point, he reflected on his bond with the city. He took it a step further on an episode of the “Point Forward” podcast – with hosts Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner – that was published this week when he was asked how he wanted to be remembered.

“Honestly, like, I didn’t understand how special of a place Boston was until I got here,” Tatum said on the podcast. “I didn’t like Boston. I felt like them beating the (St. Louis) Rams was the reason the Rams ended up leaving and I didn’t have a football team. Like we were never good after that. They beat Kobe (Bryant) in ’08, so I was sick about that. But this is a special place. … They love their sports teams. They love their guys. Like, I feel like I’ve been embraced. I’m one of …

“I felt like they accepted me as one of their guys, and there’s a sense of pride, edge that you have to have to play here. But I can only imagine the love … like I know how much love I get now. I can only imagine the love, the reception if you hung one of those banners up. It would be incredible.”

Tatum quickly corrected himself: “It’s going to be incredible. I know it is.”

Tip-ins

Porzingis, as expected, returned Friday after missing the previous four games due to a calf strain. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he would not be on a minutes restriction.