It’s a moment 16 years in the making. But when will Boston hold a bid for the Celtics’ 2024 NBA championship?
As the whistle blew for Monday’s big win over the Dallas Mavericks, no announcement had been made yet — no one wanted to spoil the team’s quest for its 18th title.
“Well, we don’t use the ‘P’ word beforehand in Boston,” Mayor Michelle Wu said last week, before Game 4. “But if there’s something huge to celebrate, we’ll be prepared and have announcements in the coming days, just to make sure we plan carefully and map out all the logistics.”
We asked Wu about Game 5 on Monday morning, and here’s what she told us.
The city’s mayor said of the match: “Today is going to be wild. The whole city is ready, we are with them and we are happy.”
Tito Horford, father of Celtics center Al Horford, is among the fans cheering on the Celtics at their championship chance on Monday.
We also asked about the upcoming heat wave and how it will affect any celebrations, and she said there are meetings being held Monday morning at City Hall “to talk about the forecast and what the forecast is, if it’s likely to be above a certain heat index threshold for several days at a time.”
Later Monday, Wu’s office declared a heat emergency in Boston, prompting the establishment of cooling centers and other measures to keep residents cool.
“It’s also the last week of school in Boston Public Schools, so there’s a half day, and we’re thinking about how that might impact students who may need a full day of support as well,” Wu said. “So we’ll have more probably very soon on that front.”
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Jayson Tatum celebrates with the Larry O’Brien Trophy after winning the 2024 NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the Finals at TD Garden on Monday, June 17, 2024.
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BOSTON, MA – JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 17, 2024 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading or using this image, user agrees to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Adam Haji/NBAE via Getty Images)
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BOSTON, MA – JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0, Al Horford #42, Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrate after Boston’s 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading or using this image, user agrees to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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Confetti falls at TD Garden as fans celebrate the Boston Celtics winning the 2024 NBA Championship against the Dallas Mavericks during Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals on Monday, June 17, 2024.
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Confetti falls at TD Garden after the Boston Celtics win the NBA championship 106-88 over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, June 17, 2024.
What’s the forecast this week in Boston?
It will be hot all week, possibly dangerously hot. The heat wave is expected to start on Tuesday and continue until at least Thursday, if not Friday.
Thursday could equal the day’s record high of 98 degrees.
As of early Tuesday, the heat emergency had not extended into Friday, although Boston’s forecast showed temperatures high for a fourth straight day in the 90s.
Monday evening: Partly cloudy. dry. Temperatures in the low 80s. Night: Moderate. partly cloudy. Low: 67. Tuesday: Hot and dry. sunny. High: 92. Wednesday: Hot and humid. partly cloudy. High: 94.
Reports are coming in about the Boston Celtics’ championship parade
According to Boston Globe columnist Gary Washburn, as well as other reports, Friday is the expected date for the show — though there has been no official confirmation from the team or city.
Final details about the offer are expected to be shared on Tuesday.
