ORLANDO, Fla. — Not ready to go home just yet, the only place the Orlando Magic are headed is back to Boston.

Halfway to history.

Taking another step toward overcoming an improbable 3-0 series deficit, Dwight Howard had 21 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday night to lead the Magic to a 113-92 victory against the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“I don’t know if you can say you have momentum when you’re down 3-2 going into their place,” Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy said. “I still look at it like we’re climbing a huge mountain here. But we are playing better.”

Much better.

A series that looked like a sweep a few days ago has the Celtics taking a slim lead into a pressure-packed Game 6 in Boston on Friday night. The Celtics are facing the possibility of playing it without Kendrick Perkins, their starting center who picked up his seventh technical foul of the playoffs, a mandatory suspension unless it’s overturned.

Advertisement

A potential Game 7 would be in Orlando.

No NBA team has won a series after losing the first three games.

The Magic, seemingly lifeless after a blowout defeat in Game 3, suddenly have hope to be the first. They broke out of their series-long shooting slump, making 13 of 25 3-pointers.

Jameer Nelson scored 24 points, and J.J. Redick had 14 to help the Magic to a frenetic pace the Celtics couldn’t sustain. Howard added five blocks as Orlando built an early 14-point lead.

Rasheed Wallace had 21 points and Rajon Rondo scored 19 for a Boston team that once seemed on its way to another NBA finals.

Now? The Celtics are stunned and dazed, and Boston fans who just watched their NHL team blow a 3-0 lead are getting uneasy.

Advertisement

Howard’s elbow came down on Glen Davis’ face near the basket in the third quarter, giving the Celtics’ forward a concussion. Davis tried to get up as play continued on the other end, wobbling his way to midcourt, almost falling flat as referee Joey Crawford kept him from tumbling.

Davis didn’t return. Reserve Marquis Daniels also was hit with a similar inadvertent elbow from Howard, leaving him dizzy, and Wallace “tweaked” his back.

Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said Davis “blacked out” on the court, and the training staff will examine the forward today.

“I don’t know what kind of tests they’re going to do with (Davis). He’s a little delirious anyway,” Rivers said, chuckling.

Redick provided a big boost off the bench, making a pair of 3-pointers to highlight a 20-8 run that put Orlando ahead 51-37 in the second quarter. His swishes and crisp passing kept the Celtics scrambling, and it filled a major hole with starter Vince Carter continuing to struggle.

Wallace picked up a third foul during the spurt and taunted Orlando fans all the way to the bench. Wallace shouted and screamed to the stands, pointing at his ring finger for the championship he won with Detroit – a title that has eluded Orlando.

Things got even worse for the Celtics when Perkins was ejected after he picked up his second technical of the game and seventh of the postseason for arguing with officials. Perkins and Marcin Gortat were whistled for double technicals a few minutes prior, after they got tangled up.

That means Perkins, one of the best defenders in the league on Howard, will be suspended for Game 6 unless the NBA rescinds the technical. An NBA spokesman said a final review of the technicals was expected to be announced by mid-to-late morning today.

“I didn’t think he deserved either one. But he got them,” Rivers said.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.