‘We Can’t Look Past Anybody’

Derrick White is ready for another deep playoff run with the Boston Celtics.

The veteran guard is coming off of the best season of his eight-year NBA career, finishing fourth in the league in 3-pointers made (265), while averaging a career-high 16.4 points in 33.9 minutes per game. White started all 76 games he appeared in this season, the highest total of any Celtics player.

The 30-year-old veteran has emerged as one of the biggest reasons for the Celtics’ rise as the team to beat in the league. That’s not to mention his stout defensive abilities, finishing on the All-Defensive Team while ranking eighth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season.

The second-seeded Celtics will open up their postseason against the No. 7-seeded Orlando Magic, who won their play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks to clinch a playoff spot.

“It all starts Sunday,” says White in a one-on-one interview. “We can’t look past anybody, and we know that Orlando is a team that’s hungry, young and energetic, and they play really hard. You got to just do whatever it takes to win four games, and that’s really what our mindset is.”

The Celtics still looked like one of the elite teams in the NBA throughout the season despite injuries to Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday during the year. Brown missed 19 games, Porzings missed 40 games and Holiday missed 20 matchups.

Despite the lack of continuity throughout the season as the Celtics shuffled different starting lineups, Boston still finished with a 61-21 record, just three games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.

White says the biggest challenge of being a defending champ is that every NBA team is giving you their absolute best considering they want to beat the champs.

“Everybody – it’s like their biggest game, – no matter where they are in the season or what’s going on their their season so far,” says White. “If they beat the Celtics, the season just got so much better. That was probably the most challenging (part). The best part about it, you want to get everybody’s best shot and see what kind of team you are. It made us a better team and I’m excited for the playoff run.”

The Celtics will enter their playoff series against the Magic as overwhelming favorites. In fact, entering Game 1, they’re -13.5 point favorites over Orlando. The second-biggest favorites entering a Game 1 playoff matchup are the New York Knicks (-6.5 point favorites) over the Detroit Pistons.

That’s not surprising considering the Celtics are the Eastern Conference favorites at +190 odds, according to ESPN. However, it’s worth noting that the Magic did defeat the Celtics in two of their three matchups this season, although the last one didn’t feature any of Boston’s normal starting five.

With that being said, White and the Celtics know they can’t underestimate the Magic, especially when they feature two young stars in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. It’s worth noting that Orlando pushed the Cavaliers to seven games in a playoff series last season, so they’re more than capable.

“Definitely a team that poses a lot of threats,” says White of the Magic. “Obviously, they have two stars that do a lot for them, but I think just their physicality, we have to match that. They play really hard, so we can’t be surprised by those things. We just got to be able to take whatever they throw at us and do what we do.”

Derrick White Partners With Samuel Adams For Exclusive Merch Drop

Just in time for the playoffs, White is teaming up with Samuel Adams for an exclusive merchandise drop where fans can get limited edition gear. The merch drop includes a hoodie, short sleeve T-Shirt, bucket hat and a can cooler.

“ The collaboration has really grown,” details White. “It’s really cool to see how much the city of Boston has loved me being part of it, and I’m having a great time being a part of Sam Adams and just seeing how people drinking my beer and people wanting to buy the gear and the merch.

“It’s crazy that it got sold out so quickly online,” White continues to say. “I know there’s still some at the tap room and the brewery. It’s been amazing to be with Sam Adams, and I’m having a lot of fun with it.”

White has already collaborated with the beer brand before by releasing the Derrick White Ale, which is available in Boston-area taprooms and at TD Garden.

“We had a opening near the beginning of year, and it’s still kind of crazy when I look in the stands, I can see some people drinking some Derrick White Ale,” says White.

He’ll likely be seeing more of it as the Celtics look to open up their title defense with a win over the Magic in Game 1 at TD Garden.