These how realistic the Celtics guard Derrick and other will White’s All-Star chances?

Moments after the Celtics’ big victory over the Kings on Wednesday night – in which Derrick White scored 28 points on 10-for-13 shooting, including 6-for-9 from 3-point range – a question was posed to Joe Mazzulla that suggested the guard was shooting like an All-Star.

Mazzulla interrupted.

“He is an All-Star,” Mazzulla said.

Jayson Tatum stoked the flames more after the game, sharing a post about White’s performance to his Instagram story with a simple caption: “All star.”

The campaign for White’s first career All-Star selection has begun inside the Celtics locker room. His value to the first-place Celtics has been undeniable, and bears repeating for this exercise. He remains among the best in plus/minus in the NBA. Entering Thursday, he ranked fourth in the league at plus-222 – only behind certain All-Stars Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

White is averaging career highs in points (16.5 per game), assists (5.1) and 3-point shooting percentage (42.9%), buoyed by a dominant December in which he’s averaging 20.8 points and 5.0 assists per game. He also remains one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. With nine blocks in his last three games, he has 28 stuffs, which ranks third among guards.

On both ends, he’s been exactly what Mazzulla was hoping for when he had enough confidence in White to name him the Celtics’ starting point guard early this summer, after Marcus Smart was traded and well before Jrue Holiday even arrived. He accentuates Boston’s talent almost perfectly, consistently making the right plays while also calling his own number when the time calls. There’s a real argument to be made that he’s been the Celtics’ third-best player behind Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

“Freedom, confidence and empowerment from his teammates,” Mazzulla told reporters in Sacramento of how well White has been playing of late. “A lot of the times when we want to settle the team down and we want to get to really good execution, we go to Derrick White pick and rolls. Sometimes it’s with Jayson, sometimes it’s with Jaylen, sometimes it’s with (Kristaps Porzingis). … His teammates are empowering him, he’s playing with a lot of confidence and it’s one of the reasons why we feel so comfortable with him at the point is because of what he can do.”

But how realistic are White’s All-Star chances? Not to pour cold water on the possibility, but it doesn’t seem likely.

With 12 players selected to the Eastern Conference’s All-Star team, it will be difficult to crack. Tatum and Brown seem to be locks, and White likely isn’t surpassing either of his All-NBA teammates. Embiid, the reigning MVP and now the league’s leading scorer, is a virtual lock as is his teammate, Maxey. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetekounmpo and Damian Lillard, and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton are almost certain to make the squad, too.

The surprising Magic need a representative, and that will likely be budding superstar Paolo Banchero. Then the competition for White in the backcourt is challenging. In addition to Lillard, Haliburton and Lillard, New York’s Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell can likely punch their All-Star ticket. That leaves two more spots. Atlanta’s Trae Young, who’s averaging 28.2 points and 11.1 assists, seems likely for a nod, and then there will probably be a representative from the Heat.

Barring injuries to the obvious choices, it seems more likely than not that White will be on the outside looking in. White, though he’s getting obvious support from his teammates, doesn’t seem to be focused on it.

“I’m just trying to win games,” White told NBC Sports Boston after Wednesday’s win. “That’s all I’m focusing on right now, and just have to keep winning and see what happens.”