Boston ? This is no joke: The former laughingstocks of the Eastern Conference are going to the NBA Finals.

Jason Kidd became the first player in 35 years to record three triple-doubles in an NBA playoff series, and the New Jersey Nets finished off the Boston Celtics and their disappearing duo of superstars with a 96-88 victory in Game 6 on Friday night.

A franchise whose existence has been marked by poor management and fan apathy now has a chance to take its total turnaround one step further.

“I would love to win a championship,” Kidd said. “Maybe then there won’t be any critics or doubters.”

The Nets are the first team since the 1977-78 Seattle SuperSonics to make it to the finals after failing to qualify for the playoffs the previous season.

Kidd finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists to join Oscar Robertson (1963) and Wilt Chamberlain (1967) as the only players with three triple-doubles in a playoff series. He is the first player since Magic Johnson in 1991 to average a triple-double in a best-of-seven series.

“The Nets can be a blueprint for any team,” Kidd said. “If you want to succeed, not be selfish and move the basketball, good things will happen.”

Kidd all but clinched the game with 33.9 seconds left, blowing two kisses to his family just as he always does when he shoots foul shots and knocking down two free throws for a 96-88 lead.

Kenyon Martin took his shirt off and jumped into the arms of a teammate as the final buzzer sounded.

“I’ve got a little more class than to jump on their table,” Martin said. “My celebration was enough.”

The Celtics head into their offseason wondering what happened to Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. Walker went scoreless in the fourth quarter, and Pierce did not score again after making a 3-pointer with 11:10 remaining.

Walker scored 16, going 1-for-9 from 3-point range, and Pierce getting 14.

“It’s a game of wills at this point and they did a fabulous job tonight,” said Pierce. “They deserve it.”

Nets 96, Celtics 88

NEW JERSEY (96)

Martin 5-17 6-8 16, Van Horn 3-8 4-6 11, MacCulloch 4-6 3-4 11, Kidd 6-18 3-5 15, Kittles 4-7 1-2 9, A.Williams 2-2 1-1 5, Jefferson 6-12 3-4 15, Harris 5-5 0-0 12, Johnson 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 36-76 21-30 96.

BOSTON (88)

Walker 7-20 1-4 16, E.Williams 4-4 2-3 11, Battie 0-1 0-2 0, Anderson 8-14 2-3 18, Pierce 5-16 2-4 14, Rogers 5-8 2-2 13, McCarty 1-3 0-0 2, Strickland 4-13 4-4 14, Delk 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-79 13-22 88.

New Jersey 21 23 26 26 96

Boston 28 26 15 19 88

3-Point GoalsNew Jersey 3-10 (Harris 2-2, Van Horn 1-4, Kittles 0-2, Kidd 0-2), Boston 7-30 (Pierce 2-7, Strickland 2-8, E.Williams 1-1, Rogers 1-3, Walker 1-9, McCarty 0-2). Fouled outWalker. ReboundsNew Jersey 53 (Kidd 13), Boston 50 (Walker 9). AssistsNew Jersey 25 (Kidd 13), Boston 24 (Anderson 7). Total foulsNew Jersey 19, Boston 24. A18,624 (18,624).