Boston — finally — finishes off Magic

Associated Press

BOSTON

The NBA’s most-decorated team avoided the biggest playoff collapse in league history and earned a chance to hang an unprecedented 18th championship banner from the rafters.

Paul Pierce had 31 points and 13 rebounds, and little-used backup Nate Robinson gave the Celtics a boost with 13 second-quarter points as Boston beat the Orlando Magic 96-84 on Friday night, earning a chance to play for a second NBA title in three years.

The finals will begin Thursday in either Los Angeles or Phoenix.

The Lakers lead the Western Conference finals 3-2, and a victory over the Suns in Game 6 tonight would set up the cross-coast rivals for a rematch of the 2008 finals — and 10 other championship series from 1959-87.

The Magic led for just 11 seconds. They were outrebounded 56-44. And they couldn’t control the Celtics 3-point shooters.

Orlando reached last year’s finals before losing to the Lakers then had the NBA’s second best record this season. It won its last six regular-season games then swept both Charlotte and Atlanta in the playoffs.