May a federal court dismiss state precedent interpreting the state's own criminal statute as an 'odd hypothetical' based on 'legal imagination' to substitute the federal court's interpretation of that statute?

Question Presented for Review Fundamental to our system of federalism is the principle that federal courts “are not free to substitute [their] own interpretations of state statutes for those of a State’s courts.” Schad v. Arizona, 501 U.S. 624, 636 (1991). Respect for state decisions defining and interpreting what constitutes a state crime does not permit “second-guessing” by federal courts. Id. at 638. May a federal court dismiss state precedent interpreting the state’s own criminal statute as an “odd hypothetical” based on “legal imagination” to substitute the federal court’s interpretation of that statute? ii