Dwight Howard powers Magic to 117-96 win and 2-1 series lead over Celtics

Howard, Magic rout Celtics 117-96 to take 2-1 lead

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic seem to be at their best when they’re shorthanded. Dwight Howard had 17 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to lift the Orlando Magic to a 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night and a 2-1 series lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal.

Rashard Lewis had 28 points, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 24 for Orlando, which played without starting point guard Rafer Alston. He was suspended by the NBA for slapping Eddie House in the back of the head in Game 2.

Paul Pierce broke out of his series slump to score 27 points, and Rajon Rondo added 15 for the defending champion Celtics, who trimmed a 20-point deficit to seven before the Magic regained control.

Game 4 is Sunday in Orlando.

It was the second time this postseason the Magic won with a starter suspended.

Howard lost his cool and elbowed Samuel Dalembert in the head to draw a suspension for Game 6 of their first-round series against Philadelphia — but Orlando still managed to get a blowout win and eliminate the 76ers.

This time, it was the Magic’s big man who made sure a teammate wasn’t missed.

The defensive player of the year had four blocks in the first half, forcing the Celtics into a jumpshooting team much like the Magic did to win Game 1. On the first play of the second quarter, Howard soared so high he had to brace his left hand against the backboard so he wouldn’t smack his head, swatting Stephon Marbury’s layup attempt into the stands.

It was no different on offense.

Howard sprinted down the middle of the lane to take a pass zipped from the wing by J.J. Redick, gripping the ball with two hands for a thunderous dunk that gave Orlando a 43-31 lead. The Magic would eventually go ahead by 14 points in the period.

But it didn’t end there.

The Magic took a 20-point lead early in the third quarter before Howard picked up his fourth foul, and the Celtics ended the period on a 12-2 run capped by a breakaway dunk by Rondo.

The Celtics trimmed the deficit to seven in the fourth, and just when it appeared they would complete the comeback, center Kendrick Perkins lost his cool.

Perkins was called for a flagrant one foul with 10:15 remaining for an elbow on Mickael Pietrus. Replays showed Perkins’ elbow hit Pietrus in the chin while the two were battling for position away from the ball, the kind of play the NBA has been reviewing — and sometimes giving out suspensions — in a postseason that’s only becoming more physical.

Pietrus made the free throws, and the Magic built another 20-point lead that put the game out of reach, with Celtics coach Doc Rivers pulling his starters with about four minutes to play.