(My Sportsbook) - The upstart Orlando Magic will be swimming upstream against history tonight when they visit the Boston Celtics for the deciding Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series.

The Magic forced the pivotal contest with a hard-fought 83-75 win in Game 6 on Thursday in Orlando. Dwight Howard finished with 23 points, 22 rebounds and three blocks in that one, as the Magic staved off elimination.

"I didn't worry about not getting touches," Howard said after the Game 6 win. "I know playing against a good defensive team like Boston, the only way I was going to get touches was to crash the boards and being dominant."

Boston has never lost a best-of-seven playoff series when it goes up 3-2, going 32-0 over its storied history. But, the Celtics faltered down the stretch Thursday, scoring just 13 points in the final quarter as Orlando lived to play another game.

Rashard Lewis added 20 points and six rebounds for the Magic, while Rafer Alston scored 11, including a big basket inside the two-minute mark. Hedo Turkoglu had only seven points and made just one three-pointer, but it came moments after Alston's basket to help seal the game.

Rajon Rondo finished with 19 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and four steals for Boston, while Kendrick Perkins added 15 points and 10 boards. Paul Pierce scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds, but missed two key free throws late in the game that would have given the Celtics the lead.

While Orlando made just 6-of-26 three-point attempts and shot 36.6 percent, Boston sank only 3-of-18 from behind the arc and made 8-of-13 free throws.

"We certainly didn't do it with our potent offense," Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "But we did take care of the ball pretty well and made some big shots down the stretch."

This will be the 26th Game 7 in the Celtics' history and their second straight seven game set. The C's. who are 20-5 all-time in Game 7s and 17-3 in Beantown, beat Chicago in seven games during their first round series. Boston also needed seven games to dispose of both the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers in last year's postseason en route to their record 17th NBA championship.

This year, however, the Celtics are trying to do it without All-Star forward and team leader Kevin Garnett, whose knee injury has kept him out of the entire postseason.

"Game 7 is the ultimate players' game," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "If you need a rah-rah speech for Game 7, your team's probably in a little trouble."

Orlando, meanwhile, is just 1-1 all-time during Game 7s (1-0 at home, 0-1 on road). The Magic won Game 7 of the 1995 Eastern Conference finals versus Indiana, 105-81, and lost Game 7 of the 2003 first round against Detroit, 108-93.

"Everyone has to step up in a Game 7. Bring your A-game. Get out there and play with your hearts on your sleeve," Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing said.

The Celtics and Magic have met in the playoffs just once before with Orlando earning a 3-1 win in the 1995 Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Tonight's winner will move on to play the top-seeded Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.