Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Paul Pierce totaled 31 points, 13 rebounds and five assists and the Celtics made sure history was not made in the Eastern Conference finals, as Boston rolled to a 96-84 Game 6 win over the Orlando Magic to advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.
The Magic staved off elimination in back-to-back games and had momentum on their side in trying to become the first NBA team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit.
The Celtics had different plans, however, as they shot 10-of-22 from behind the arc and outrebounded the Magic, 45-35, to close out the series.
Ray Allen scored 20 points, and Boston got an unlikely source of production off the bench after Rajon Rondo went down briefly after taking a hard foul.
Rondo scored 12 of his 14 points in the first quarter, but after injuring his back stayed on the sideline for most of the second, when the seldom-used Nate Robinson went off for all 13 of his points to spark the club to a double-digit halftime lead.
The fourth-seeded Celtics may find a familiar foe in the Finals, as the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers lead their Western Conference finals set against the Phoenix Suns, 3-2, with Game 6 set for Saturday. Boston won its 17th title against LA in 2008. The Finals begin next Thursday.
Dwight Howard was solid in Orlando's season finale, scoring 28 points to go with 12 rebounds. Vince Carter added 17 points, but the defending conference champions exited with a whimper after winning their first eight postseason games in impressive fashion.
Loading comments...