Halfway to history
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Once trailing by a historically daunting 3-0 deficit, the Orlando Magic beat Boston for the second straight game in Eastern Conference finals and kept their hopes alive to become the first team to win a series down 0-3.
Dwight Howard scored 21 and had 10 rebounds as the Magic brought down the Celtics 113-92 in Game 5.
The experienced, or depending on your perspective, "old," Celtics, must be feeling the pressure as their 3-0 lead has disappeared, and now stands at 3-2. But in NBA history 93 teams have trailed 0-3, and 93 times those teams couldn’t win four straight to take the series.
Paul Pierce sparked the Boston in the first quarter with 10 points, while Orlando missed its first four attacks, but got on track when Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis hit back-to-back 3- pointers, and then the Celtics fell into foul trouble as Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Glen Davis got two personal fouls apiece. The Magic took advantage of free throws to gain a 31-27 lead in the first quarter
J.J. Redick provided a boost off the bench as he nailed a pair of 3-pointers to highlight a 20-8 run that put Orlando up 51-37 in the second quarter and forced Boston to call a timeout with 6:21 left to regroup. But Boston's foul trouble worsened when Kendrick Perkins was ejected after receiving his second technical foul. Pierce and Rasheed Wallace tried to keep Celtics within reach as the first half ended at 57-49.
The Magic maintained their momentum in the second half and kept increasing the gap. The short-staffed Celtics refused to give up but never seriously challenged Magic's lead.
Howard's elbow inadvertently came down on Davis' face near the basket in the third quarter, giving the Celtics forward a concussion. Reserve Marquis Daniels also was hit with a similar inadvertent elbow from Howard, leaving him dizzy, and Wallace "tweaked" his back.
Jameer Nelson scored 24 points and Redick came off the bench to contribute 14 points.
Wallace had 21 points, and Rondo scored 19 for a Boston team that once seemed on its way to another NBA final.
The odds still stand against the Magic, but the players are confident.
"We just all believe,'' Nelson said. “We know we can do it."
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