Orlando beat Boston to force game seven

Dwight Howard scored 23 points and grabbed 22 rebounds to power the Orlando Magic to a 83-75 win over the Boston Celtics yesterday and force a decisive seventh game.

"We came out from the get go and were ready to play. That is what it takes," Howard said. "I got myself open and ran the floor. That is what I have got to do. I can't worry about how many touches I have."

Howard carried the Magic on his back in game six and will try to do the same in game seven on Sunday in Boston.

"Thank God we are going to Boston. We have got a game seven," Howard said.

The Magic closed with an 11-2 run as Hedo Turkoglu sank a key three pointer. Rashard Lewis scored 20 points for Orlando who haven't made it out of the quarter-finals in a dozen years.

Rajon Rondo finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds and a half dozen assists while Paul Pierce scored 17 for the Celtics, who led by 10 points in the second half. Rondo also had four steals.

Orlando kept their playoff hopes alive by holding the Celtics to just 13 points in the fourth quarter.

Boston has never dropped a series when it goes up 3-2, going 32-0 over its franchise history.

Pierce had nine rebounds, but missed two key free throws late in the game that would have given the Celtics the lead.

Orlando made just six-of-26 three-point attempts and shot 36.6 percent.

Boston sank only three-of-18 from behind the arc and made eight-of-13 free throws.

"The offense definitely struggled," Pierce said. "But we still played enough defense to win the game. We turned the ball over too much."

Howard challenged and blamed coach Stan Van Gundy for not getting the ball more after the Magic's game five stumble, when they blew a large final quarter lead.

"You've got a dominant player, let him be dominant," Howard said.