Dave Portnoy links arms with Joe Mazzulla rocking Duck Boats t-shirt after winning $1.6m parlay
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and his team are preparing for a day of celebration as the city of Boston hosts their championship parade on Friday. Prior to the start of the parade, Mazzulla linked up with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who cashed in a parlay worth $1.6 million thanks to the team's championship win.
Portnoy can be seen wearing a "Cue the Duckboats" shirt while standing alongside Mazzulla and holding the Larry O'Brien trophy. Of course, some fans outside of the Boston Massachusetts area have wondered why Celtics fans have continued to make jokes about duckboats.
The joke comes from Boston's long line of championships and dates all the way back to 2002, when the New England Patriots won the NFL Super Bowl. Since then, when a team from Boston such as the NHL's Boston Bruins, or in this case the Celtics, wins a championship, the team takes a duckboat ride.
The amphibious vehicles date back to World War 2 in the early 1940s, and allow for the seamless transition from land to water. In Boston, the duckboats are usually used to give tourists a unique experience around the city, however, in this case, it will be the Boston Celtics celebrating on the duckboats.
Check out the photo of Dave Portnoy and Joe Mazzulla below.
Looking at Joe Mazzulla and the Boston Celtics' offseason, and quest for back-to-back titles next year
Joe Mazzulla's championship win with the Boston Celtics puts the second-year coach in a comfortable position heading into the remaining two years of his deal. After making a run to the Conference Finals during the 2022-23 season, Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics' front office went to work bolstering their roster.
The team made some massive acquisitions in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday over the summer before then going on a tear this season, finishing the year in first place.
While some fans and analysts questioned whether or not the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown could win together, the team has now silenced the critics. As the Celtics celebrate their championship parade on Friday, they likely find confidence in knowing that a large portion of their roster is set to return next year.
Eight of the team's players are all set to return next season, including all five starters, and key role players such as Derrick White. Given that, the team currently sits as betting favorites to win the 2024-25 NBA Championship next season.
Of course, before Joe Mazzulla's team looks to go back-to-back in the NBA Finals, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday will suit up for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In addition, while Jaylen Brown was left off the team's initial roster, in the event Kawhi Leonard is forced to withdraw, he could fill in as a late replacement.
With Banner 18 set to hang in the TD Garden, and an exciting offseason ahead for Tatum and Holiday, the future looks bright in Boston.