2002–03 Boston Celtics season in the fall of 2002. Bold = All-Star selection (3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Boston Celtics Last Playoff Meeting: 1992 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3-0) (2) New Jersey Nets vs. (6) Boston Celtics Last Playoff Meeting: 2002 Eastern Conference Finals (New Jersey won 4-2) 2002–03 Boston Celtics season The 2002–03 NBA season was the 57th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. During the offseason, the Celtics acquired Vin Baker from the Seattle SuperSonics. The Celtics posted a six-game winning streak after losing their first two games, and got off to a solid 16–7 start.
Original Celtics of owner Jim Furry for embezzling $190,000 from a New York business. Then, in early October, just a month before the ABL season was to get underway, the Celtics bolted to the newly organized National Basketball League. The new league operated solely in and around the metropolitan New York City, but despite its geographical limitations was stocked with some of the best players in the country. After pulling off a coup by signing the Original Celtics, the NBL brashly raided ABL rosters for additional players. The Brooklyn Arcadians were particularly hard hit, losing stars Red Conaty and Rody Cooney, while