By Donovan Slack, Globe Staff

The Celtics victory parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Thursday at the TD Banknorth Garden, with roughly 16 duck boats transporting the NBA champions through Boston in a rolling rally ending at Copley Square (check out the route map). Two flatbed trucks will carry Celtics dancers, former Celtic greats, and NBA champion trophies from past seasons as the city celebrates its 17th basketball crown.

To celebrate the bevy sports championships in recent years, city officials have organized what they call a "rolling rallies" rather than an event at a single location. The parade spreads out crowds and makes it easier for police to control the celebration. The route Thursday will head in the opposition direction of the last rolling rally in October, which honored the Red Sox sweep of the Colorado Rockies in the World Series.

Setting out from the Garden, the duck boats will take Causeway Street and take a left on Staniford Street. The parade will go left on Cambridge Street and pass City Hall Plaza.

The route will follow Tremont Street along Boston Common, taking a right on Boylston Street. The rolling rally will end at Copley Square.

City officials said the duck boats will not stop along the route. There will not be a rally at the start or end of the parade.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino will discuss the plans at a press conference later today at City Hall.