After winning NBA championship in Boston, Celtics scheduled to take celebration to … Miami

Before enjoying their championship parade in Boston later this week, the Celtics are set to celebrate in … Miami.

Just hours after clinching their record-setting 18th NBA championship with Monday night’s 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Boston, the Celtics are scheduled to take a noon flight to Miami on Tuesday to continue their celebration.

“Noon FLT to Miami” was written on the whiteboard in the Celtics’ locker room following the championship-clinching win at TD Garden, according to reporters in Boston.

“Celtics are headed to Miami for a few days to party,” Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe posted on X late Monday night. “Parade [in Boston] is expected to be this Friday.”

On the surface, a trip to Miami after winning the NBA title shouldn’t come as a surprise. One of the things Miami is known for is its nightlife.

But considering Miami is also home to one of the Celtics’ biggest current rivals, the post-championship trip to South Florida is noteworthy.

The Heat and Celtics have faced off in the playoffs in four of the last five seasons: The Heat eliminated the Celtics in the 2020 Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics ended the Heat’s season in the 2022 East finals, the Heat ousted the Celtics in the 2023 East finals, and the Celtics made quick work of the Heat in the first round of this year’s playoffs.

While the Celtics may be coming to Miami, one member from the Heat’s side was in attendance for the Celtics’ title-clinching win in Boston on Monday.

Haslem, who retired at the end of the 2022-23 season following a 20-year NBA playing career spent entirely with the Heat, was at TD Garden to fulfill his NBA TV broadcasting duties, interviewing Celtics players, coaches and executives amid their championship celebration at TD Garden immediately following Monday’s victory. Along with serving as a studio NBA analyst for various networks, Haslem was hired by the Heat in November just months into retirement to be the vice president of basketball development.

In addition, former Heat guard Ray Allen was in Boston to watch the Celtics’ championship win on Monday. Allen, whose playing career came to an end following the 2013-14 season, won a championship with the Celtics in 2008 before leaving in free agency to join the Heat in 2012.

The Heat ended the Celtics’ season in Boston last year. This year, the Celtics are taking a three-hour flight to Miami to celebrate their first NBA championship in more than a decade.