Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Rashard Lewis and Rafer Alston combined to score 50 points with Dwight Howard serving a one-game suspension, as the
Orlando Magic notched an impressive 114-89 series-clinching win in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup with the
Philadelphia 76ers.
Lewis totaled 29 and Alston 21 for the Magic, who took their first lead in the series with a pivotal Game 5 triumph in Orlando on Tuesday when Howard scored 24 points and pulled down a playoff career-high 24 rebounds in what amounted to a controversial win.
Howard was hit with a technical foul after throwing an elbow to the head of Philadelphia center Samuel Dalembert in the first quarter and the NBA handed down the suspension for the superstar on Wednesday. Howard reportedly watched Game 6 from his Philadelphia hotel suite.
Marcin Gortat, patrolling the paint in Howard's absence, posted a game-best 15 rebounds, 11 points and added four steals as the Magic advanced with a 4-2 series win.
Howard's elbow caused more problems for the Magic in Games 5 as starting shooting guard Courtney Lee took an inadvertent elbow to the head from his teammate and suffered a fractured sinus.
Lee had surgery earlier Thursday in Philadelphia that will keep him out of action for at least a week, most likely running through the start of Orlando's semifinal matchup with the winner of the Boston-Chicago series.
Third-year pro J.J. Redick started in Lee's place and ended with 15 points on 5-of-7 three-point shooting.
The Magic hit 12-of-26 from three-point range and 53.7 percent from the field. Lewis also registered seven boards, five assists and three blocks in an all- around effort while Alston dished out a game-high 10 helpers with three steals.
Andre Miller led a paltry Sixers attack with 24 points and Andre Iguodala scored 20, but 13 of those came with game already decided in the second half.
Lou Williams donated 17 points off the bench for Philadelphia, which exited in an eerily similar fashion a year ago in the quarterfinals, when they took a 2-1 series lead on Detroit before losing in six games.
