Celtics cruise past Magic; open 3-0 lead in series

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-23 16:57

Celtics cruise past Magic; open 3-0 lead in series
Boston Celtics' Rasheed Wallace celebrates after making a three point basket against the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter of Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series in Boston, Massachusetts May 22, 2010. [Agencies]

BOSTON - The Boston Celtics moved a win away from their second NBA finals trip in three years with a 94-71 victory over the Orlando Magic and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven East finals Saturday.

Glen Davis scored 17 points and Rajon Rondo added 11 points and 12 assists for the Celtics as the defending Eastern Conference champion Magic barely put up a fight.

No NBA team has lost a playoff series after winning the first three games.

The Magic have to win Game 4 on Monday night to avoid a sweep and force the series back to Orlando. They'll need a better effort than in Game 3, when they fell behind early for the third straight game. This time, they didn't even mount a late charge to make it close.

One game after scoring 30 points, Dwight Howard had just seven and seven rebounds. Rashard Lewis was also disappointing, scoring four points on 2-for-8 shooting, missing all four 3-point attempts. Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson had 15 points apiece.

Paul Pierce -- the NBA finals MVP two years ago when the Celtics won their record 17th championship _ had 15 points and nine rebounds. Ray Allen scored 14 points and Kevin Garnett added 10 in just 24 minutes. But this time it wasn't the aging new Big Three that did the damage, it was the two youngest players on the roster.

Rondo and Davis gave the Celtics energy and defense that the Magic couldn't match, diving to the floor for loose balls and getting the crowd going with spectacular plays.

Rondo outhustled Jason Williams down the court for a loose ball in the second quarter, diving to take it away and then getting up to beat him again for the layup. Davis celebrated one play underneath the basket with an ecstatic but odd session of running in place; the crowd went wild.