The Celtics would have been swept, they were an average team at best, winning only 49 games in one of the weakest Eastern Conferences. I mean, the rating would have been higher simply because it was Boston, but that Boston team would have forsure gotten swept. You're over-estimating how good Pierce and Walker were at this point. Pierce was still labeled as a ball-stopper and selfish and played hero ball unnecessary, and Antoine Walker would have just taken the first shot that came to his mind, even if you inserted a chip in his brain that constantly reminded him that he only shot 39% that season from the field. Who would have guarded Shaq? At least the Nets had Todd MacCulloch who played against Shaq the previous year in the Final, and Jason Collins who gained a reputation as a solid defender on Center; and even then both of these guys got destroyed by Shaq anyway. You think Vitaly Potapenko would have fared much better, or the immortal Mark Blount?

They got lucky that one Game against Kidd, and he responded by ripping off 3 straight. The only evidence I can think of that shows the Celtics could win a game was they swept the Lakers that season, but during the April match-up Shaq didn't play, and they won by a point during the earlier game that season. I really think you're over-estimating this team, they were a product of a weak Eastern Conference, and Antoine Walker was nowhere near as good as you remember him, he was a chucker that season who put up 22 points on 39% from the field on 49% TS, which is horrible. You might make the argument "Well it was the iso era, look at Iverson". Yeah, but Iverson was the primary scorer and his teammates sucked, Antoine was the 2nd option and had a better supporting cast than Iverson, but still put up shit numbers.

I just totally agree man, other than the nostalgia for Lakers/Celtics, this would have been another sweep for the Lakers.